MEDAN, Indonesia: The Powerade Team Pilipinas takes the first step in the journey back to the Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship when it opens campaign against three other teams today at the start of the 8th Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) here.
The Nationals plunge into action today against Malaysia to kick off the elimination round of the tournament, which added a championship round after the withdrawal of Thailand and Laos.
The Filipinos next take on the host Indonesians tomorrow before ending their elimination round stint on Monday against Singapore.
The Philippines needs to win the Seaba tournament to become eligible for the Fiba-Asia World Basketball Championship qualifying to be held in Tianjin, China, from Aug. 6-16.
Two slots for the FIBA-Asia Championships are at stake in the SEABA tournament, to be held at the Angkasapura Lanud Basketball Hall.
The top three finishers in the 25th FIBA-Asia Championship qualify for the 16th World Basketball Championship in Istanbul, Turkey in 2010.
For national coach Yeng Guiao, the Malaysian game brings back bitter memories of an upset loss the Philippines suffered at the hands of the host team in the 1989 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
Guiao, together with Francis Rodriguez, was assistant to head coach Derrick Pumaren in that RP squad composed of Jun Limpot, Gerry Esplana, Jun Reyes, Larry Villanil, Carlito Mejos, Bonel Balingit and Bong Solomon.
“It was extreme. They (the Malaysians) did everything to win. They didn’t allow us to practice in the playing venue. They allowed us to practice in another venue but we couldn’t practice just the same because the lights were off. Going to the games, our driver would drive us around. We would come with the game already about to start,” Guiao said.
“I don’t think that would happen here. But to be sure, we sent an advance party (led by PBA official Willy Marcial) here to take care of the things that we would need. So far, everything’s okay,” Guiao said.
The Kuala Lumpur debacle marked the only time the Philippines failed to win the championship in any Southeast Asian joust (SEA Games or SEABA) it competed in.
With a selection of PBA stars, the Powerade-RP is expected to dominate the opposition and clinch the SEABA championship for the first of two slots for Southeast Asian region in FIBA-Asia event.
Point guard Jayjay Helterbrand (pulled hamstring) and center Sonny Thoss (strained knee) joined the trip but won’t dress for the game. Kelly Williams, recuperating from a blood disorder that briefly put on hold his playing career, stayed home. The RP squad, led by team captain Asi Taulava and assistant skipper Kerby Raymundo, checked in their billeting quarters at around 11 p.m. Thursday after a tiring six-hour trip from Manila to this North Sumatra capital - the third largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta and Surabaya.
Guiao cancelled the RP team practice prior to their departure to give way to the crucial phase of the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup quarterfinals.
“It’s futile if we don’t have full attendance, and I don’t want to interfere with the plans of the head coaches. Instead, we’ll practice every morning here - mostly walk through and shootaround - and play in the evening,” said Guiao.
Meantime, Sta. Lucia center Marlou Aquino was meted a fine of 20,000 pesos after reportedly attacking a fan Wednesday night, moments after the Realtors lost to Burger King in Game 2 of their Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup quarterfinal series at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
PBA Commissioner Sony Barrios announced the sanction in Manila yesterday after the league received the official report by the Big Dome security on the incident.
Initial reports to Barrios said that Aquino attacked a male fan, who sat behind the Sta. Lucia bench, for insulting his daughter.
There hasn’t been a case of a player attacking a fan in the league for several years since Allan Caidic and Philip Cezar, then playing for the defunct Presto squad, stormed into the courtside section to confront hecklers.
