Gilas faces Myanmar in opener

MANILA, Philippines - Myanmar,  a team that hasn’t seen action since competing only in the inaugural SEABA Championship in 1994, is Gilas Pilipinas’ first assignment in the 12th edition of the biennial zonal competition set May 12-18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Team Phl and Myanmar clash in the 7 p.m. main game on opening day while Indonesia and Singapore collide at 3 p.m. Malaysia and Thailand battle at 5 p.m.

Gilas Pilipinas next takes on Singapore then Malaysia before taking a break at the halfway point of the weeklong tournament which  determines Southeast Asia’s representative in the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut, Lebanon in August.

The Filipinos tangle with Thailand on the 16th, Vietnam on the 17th and Indonesia on the 18th to complete the six assignments  they must sweep so as not to miss the first eliminator for the new home-and-away qualifying competition for the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.

Indonesia and Thailand could offer the toughest challenge since they’re reportedly bringing in their own naturalized players.

Team Phl, even with naturalized player Marcus Douthit, barely beat Thailand, 80-75, in the semifinals of the men’s basketball competition in the 2015 SEA Games.

The team that included Troy Rosario, Mac Belo, Jio Jalalon, Kevin Ferrer and Scottie Thompson also needed to work hard to overcome Indonesia, 72-64, in the finals.

“You can’t take them lightly any longer,” said Gilas coach Chot Reyes.

“Dati pwedeng hindi na pagensayuhan ang SEABA. Pero natuto na silang lahat lumaro,” Reyes added.