Cagers open bid vs Thais; Aric wary of format

HO CHI MIHN (Via Globe Telecom) — The hunt for the most treasured gold for the nation in the SEA Games starts here Sunday as the Philippine men’s basketball team opens its title defense against Thailand at the Military Gymnasium at the heart of this city by the sea.

That’s according to the revised basketball schedule that also says the Nationals taking on the host team on the ninth, the Singaporeans on the 10th, the Indons on the 11th and the Malaysians on the 13th.

The organizers are also adopting the one-round-robin format without playoffs introduced in Kuala Lumpur in 2001, meaning a seventh straight championship or bust for the Pinoy cagers by Dec. 13.

The format gave the RP coaching staff the chill.

"Itong format na ito pwedeng makadisgrasya. Kasi matalisod ka lang isang game, delikado ka na dahil walang playoffs," said head coach Aric del Rosario.

The Nationals headed the main bulk of Filipino athletes that came in here yesterday morning, and they plunged to a hard practice in the afternoon.

"Ngayon lang talaga nagkasama-sama sa practice ang team. Hindi makumpleto sa Manila dahil may mga ensayo din sila sa kanilang PBL teams," said Del Rosario. "So hard practice kami dito. Saturday lang kami light practice."

Assistant coach Boyzie Zamar, the RP team head coach in the 2001 Kuala Lumpur Games, said he saw new names in the Thai lineup.

"Pero walang problema dahil bago rin ang team natin. We also have youth on our side," he said.

Zamar and his then MBA selection that included Romel Adducul, Eddie Laure, John Ferriols, Omanzie Rodriguez and Ercito Victolero blasted the Thais, 94-65, in KL.

The 1999 silver medalists bowed out of the running for the championship with that blowout.

Teams can still make changes in their lineups until the team managers’ meeting tomorrow. Del Rosario’s wary that the Malaysians may put in Chinese players in their lineup.