Friday, September 12, 2008

TEAM PILIPINAS / PHILIPPINE NATIONAL TEAM TO BE FORMED BY DECEMBER; IS FIBA-ASIA IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY?; COACH KNOWN BY MONTH-END

Good news, it seems the SBP can form the National Team as early as December (though it would have been prudent to organize much earlier). Team Pilipinas will participate in the Haarlem Tournament in Holland where other teams like 2008 Olympic qualifier - Angola - will also join.

Eala also bared plans of organizing a National Team management group, similar to the USA Basketball model, to lay the groundwork for representation in international competitions.

The management group will be headed by Bernie Atienza, concurrently SBP chairman of the competition committee. Members will be two from the pro sector, three from the collegiate sector (NCAA, UAAP and CESAFI), two from the amateur commercial sector (PBL, Liga), two national coaches (Chot Reyes, Norman Black), two coaches (Yayoy Alcoseba will be one) and Eala as executive director.

Eala said a national pool will be assembled soon and a team formed to play at the Haarlem invitationals in Amsterdam in December. Angola and Holland will participate in the tournament.

FIBA-Asia prefers either China or Japan to host its senior tournaments from 2009 - 2011. Talk about fairness.

While in Tehran for the recent under-18 Youth Championships, Eala conferred with FIBA-Asia deputy secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon on the possibility of Manila hosting the 2011 men’s tournament, which will be the regional qualifier for the London Olympics.

“Mr. Khajirian welcomed our offer,” said Eala. “However, I was told the preference is for China or Japan to host in 2009 or 2011 because of marketing considerations. If China declines to host in 2009, it will be given priority to host in 2011.”

For Full Story

What's the end of marketing? It is to earn money, lots of it. Is it all about money? What a lousy organization FIBA-Asia is! It didn't even give its other members the chance to bid for the senior men's tournament. China has hosted the FIBA-Asia U18 Championship two years ago and the Olympics this year while the site of the 2006 World Championship was Japan. I think they organized one too many FIBA tournaments already. Come on - its time to give other willing nations the chance! Those countries aren't the only ones who love basketball in Asia.

What about fairness? As I've said no bidding took place. There are countries serious in hosting the event and to give it to some country on a silver platter is inequitable! It would be better to lose in the bidding than to give the hosting job on a whim. Yes, China or Japan may have great facilities but does that mean they can just pass it among themselves the right to host a FIBA-Asia seniors' men tournament? Geesh.

Give other nations a chance!

National Team Coach

PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios will announce the coach of Team Pilipinas by month-end according to GMA news.

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios will be returning from a three-week US trip carrying with him a special package.


The league commissioner returns to the country two weeks from now and will announce a few days his choice for the RP team mentor.

Red Bull’s Yeng Guiao has been the leading candidate for the job, although also being considered are Barangay Ginebra’s Jong Uichico, Tim Cone of Alaska and Talk `N Text’s Chot Reyes, the same coach who handled the PBA-backed national team that saw action in the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament in Tokushima, Japan last year.

For Full Story

It seems a foreign coach for the national team won't materialize at all!


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