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THE
suspense is gripping and everybody is dying to know.
But the
final composition of the San Miguel-Pilipinas team that
will do battle in the FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship in
Tokushima, Japan this weekend is a secret as closely
guarded as the identity of the would-be Asian qualifier
to the Beijing Olympics in August next year.
National
coach Chot Reyes said he will submit the final lineup on
July 27 during the FIBA-Asia Managers Meeting, a day
before the Philippines was to meet Iran at the start of
the preliminary round.
Defending champion China is up next on July 29 and
Jordan on the July 30, with the Nationals needing at
least two wins to gain a strong chance of moving on to
the quarterfinal round.
It’s
likely Reyes already has the names of the players he
wants down pat but is keeping them close to his chest in
the event of unforeseen last-minute injuries and
technical problems.
The
Nationals practiced yesterday morning at the Moro
Lorenzo Sports Center and are scheduled for one more
scrimmage today and tomorrow prior to their departure,
and then two more when they arrive in
Tokushima.
Philippine passports, at this point, also have yet to be
issued to Sta. Lucia Realty’s Kelly Williams and
George
Mason University
standout Gabe Norwood, two key figures in the RP squad.
The
players are not allowing the suspense to get the better
of their expectations.
“It’s an
exciting time for us as players, the coaching staff, the
PBA, and especially the
Philippines,”
said point guard Jimmy Alapag of the Talk ’N Text Phone
Pals.
“We got
a great opportunity. Hopefully, we’ll reap the fruits of
our labor in the last four, five months. We’re just
excited to get to Japan.”
“The
team is looking good. We just need to sharpen up just a
little bit before our first game,” said Asi Taulava of
the Phone Pals.
“After
winning the Manila Invitational, it feels good.
Malaking kumpiyansa bago kami pumunta ng Japan,”
said Mark Caguioa of the Ginebra Kings, adding the
enormity of their task hasn’t hit him yet.
“Hindi
ko rin kasi iniisip. Mape-pressure ka lang lalo
eh. You’re representing the country so that’s
already a big pressure for you, so I’m not really
thinking too much about that.”
San
Miguel’s Danny Seigle, who rejoined his teammates during
the Kuwait tuneup games after missing three weeks of
training due to a pulled hamstring and an ankle sprain,
said his injuries are healing fast.
“It
feels pretty good and it no longer bothers me that
much,” said Seigle, who sat out the Busan Asian Games in
2002 because of a torn Achilles tendon. “Of course I
have to work off a little bit of rust, but I’ll be
prepared mentally and physically come game time.”
Even the
recent additions, Eric Menk of Ginebra, the Realtors’
Williams and James Yap of Purefoods, have put behind
their individual ambitions to be part of the overall
effort to send a Philippine team back to the Olympic
Games basketball competition after 35 years.
“Of
course, everyone would like to know as soon as we can,
but we understand that it’s kinda out of hands,”
said Menk. “What’s best for the team is what’s best for
our chances. We just have to be patient.”
“Regardless of what happens, we’ll gonna work as hard as
we can, all 15 of us, up to the last day,” said
Williams. “We’re all on the same page. It’s not an
individual effort but a team effort where everyone will
put in 120 percent for the team.”
“Lahat
naman dito deserving. Maraming player ang gustong
masama rito at ngayong napili kami, achievement
na rin ito,” said
Yap. “Kahit di
ako makuha, okay lang dahil na-experience mo rin
naman ’yung praktis ng RP team. Wala naman
talagang mawawala sa’yo. Pag nanalo ’yung RP team,
para na rin sa’ting lahat ’yon.”
The
Nationals leave tomorrow afternoon aboard a Philippine
Airlines flight that will take them direct to
Tokushima.
Road to
Beijing begins
IT’S
time to see if the
Philippines
still has a place in the basketball firmament or if
Filipinos have been deluding themselves all these years
that we got game.
The
Jones Cup and four-Nations Invitationals were nice, but
the Promised Land is in Beijing. And the road there
officially begins in
Tokushima.
The FIBA-Asia
Championship is held every two years and this
competition is the premier Asian basketball event for
men’s national teams. And the souped-up San Miguel-Team
Pilipinas is all pumped up.
The
Philippines is bracketed in a tough group and will be
facing higher seeded teams. Included in the group is
current FIBA-Asia Champion China, ranked No. 11 in the
world. Lebanon, silver medalist in the 2001 and 2005
competitions and pegged the 25th best team in the world,
will once more be led by Fadi El-Khatib.
Meanwhile, Frederick Femi Onica’s stratospheric Islamic
Republic of Iran squad, ranked No. 37, will be a tough
unit to deal with despite their not being expected to
move on in the competition.
As host
of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China gets an automatic
slot in the Olympics. In the event China places second,
third, fourth or worse, they will still quality
alongside the champion of the tournament. The finalist
and third placer then qualify for the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Qualifier.
The
current FIBA-Asia champions are the Yao Ming-led China
who retained their title in the recent 2005 FIBA-Asia
Championship that took place in Doha, Qatar. China
defeated Lebanon in the final with Qatar beating Korea
for the bronze medal.
Basketball TV, the brother channel of Solar Sports, will
be televising San Miguel-Team Pilipinas’ games. (With
Rick Olivares) |
