Suporta sa Gilas hiling ni MVP

MANILA, Philippines – Aminado si Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan na mahihirapan ang Gilas Pilipinas na labanan ang mga bigating koponan kagaya ng France, Canada at New Zealand sa Olympic qualifier.

Kaya naman hinihiling niya ang suporta ng lahat ng Pinoy fans para sa kampanya ng Nationals sa FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament sa July 5-10 sa MOA Arena.

“Of course (the expectation is), no less than the opportunity to participate in Rio. I’d like to see Filipino players, Filipino athletes belong to the Olympic movement again, not only in basketball but in other sports,” wika ni Pangilinan.

Umaasa ang SBP chief na makakabuo si coach Tab Baldwin ng pinakama-lakas na koponan para sa FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

“We got the most of the tough teams in our group and coach Tab (Baldwin) will have his hands full,” sabi ni Pangilinan.

Bubuksan ng Gilas Pilipinas ang kanilang kampanya sa Group B ng qualifiers laban sa world no. 5 France sa July 5 kasunod ang 21st-ranked New Zealand sa July 6.

Hangad ng Nationals na makaabante sa semis kung saan posible nilang makalaban ang Group A teams na Ca-nada o Turkey.

Ang koponang magkakampeon ang makakakuha ng tiket sa 2016 Rio Olympics.

Nang tanungin kung ano ang kanyang opinyon sa pagharap ng Gilas sa France at New Zealand, sinabi ni Pa-ngilinan na: “Worried. It’s fine to get worried but the best antidote to that is to prepare well. I think that’s what coach Tab (Baldwin) has been saying as well. Let’s choose the best players available for the July event, prepare well and prepare hard for that.”

Hiniling din niya sa mga Pinoy fans na maging “Sixth Man” ng Gilas sa nasabing torneo. “We need Filipino fans to come out there fully and support the team. I think it will a big boost to the team’s effort,” ani Pangilinan.