3 Pinoy refs picked for FIBA bubble

MANILA, Philippines — Three Filipino referees will join six others from different countries in the officiating pool to work 11 total games in the FIBA Asia Cup third qualifying window for Groups A and B at Clark on June 16-20. Bong Pascual, Ricor Buaron and Joenard Garcia are the three locals tapped by FIBA for the competition. The other arbiters are Rabah Noujaim of Lebanon, Ahmed Al Shuwaili of Iraq, Lee Kyounghwan of Korea, Budi Marfan of Indonesia, Chuen Wing Leong of Singapore and Jaladri Harja of Indonesia.

FIBA Asia Sport and Competitions manager Vardan Petrosyan of Armenia will head the FIBA working group in the bubble. Other foreign officials in the FIBA delegation are FIBA Asia Communications manager Hovsep Seraydarian, Nikola Trajkovic of TV graphics and referee instructor Heros Avanesian. From the Philippine end, the FIBA working group includes FIBA Medical Compliance Officer Dr. Jose Raul Canlas, Broadcast Operations Venue manager Edgar Reyes, technical delegate Andrew Teh and photographer Ryan Tan.

With Filipino statisticians, courtside announcer and staff, the estimate is about 355 will be accommodated at the Lohas and Quest Hotels in the Clark bubble. There will be seven teams in the competition playing 11 games over five days. Seeing action in Group A are the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Korea. Japan, China and Chinese-Taipei are in Group B. The schedule is broken down into one tripleheader and four doubleheaders. The Philippines plays Korea on June 16, Indonesia on June 18 and Korea in a rematch on June 20.

Pascual entered the bubble yesterday from home. He has worked games at the 2014 and 2019 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Pascual has been assigned to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, Canada, late this month and will also be in the pool for the 2020+1 Tokyo Olympics. Buaron worked at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Cup and 2015 FIBA Asia Cup. Garcia was in the pool for the FIBA U16 Asia Cup for Men and the 2019 FIBA Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifiers for the Olympics.

Canlas said everyone in the bubble will be subjected to strict testing and visiting teams will leave the day after their last game. “PCR testing for pre-entry is extensive, minus 12, seven and two days,” he said. “Then, there will be another test on entry. Fully-vaccinated individuals need only minus two days and entry. There will be PCR testing on Day 5 and if the team needs one on entry back to their country. This is extensive testing, considering it is only a five-day tournament.”