SBP plans hosting of SEA tiffs next year

The Samahang Basktebol ng Pilipinas is working out plans to host several Southeast Asian Basketball Association tournaments including qualifiers to the strong FIBA-Asia events next year.

SBP executive director Noli Eala yesterday said they would bid for the hosting of the ninth SEABA Champions Cup and the eighth SEABA Men’s Championship tentatively slated March 3-7 and April 2-6, respectively.

The two would serve as a doorway to the import-laced FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in May and the FIBA-Asia Championship in August.

“We are studying our participation in many tournaments next year including these two qualifiers,” Eala told The STAR. “We also have a desire to host these two SEABA qualifying tournaments.”

Eala said SBP stakeholders headed by Smart and PLDT chair Manny V. Pangilinan including some managers and sponsors will convene next month to tackle the plan.

“By Jan. 21, I will be calling a meeting to discuss these matters with all basketball stakeholders, sponsors, managers and supporters,” said the former PBA commissioner.

The 25-player developmental pool under project director Serbian coach Rajko Toroman is particularly eyeing the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup as one of the tournaments they want to join aside from the Stankovic Cup in October and the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games.

Eala said the same team would start training on Jan. 7 before proceeding to Serbia in March and the United States a month after for more training camps before plunging into action in these events.

Eala also announced SBP’s plans of participating in, if not bidding to host, the seventh SEABA Women’s Championship June 1-5, first SEABA Under-16 Women’s Championship Sept. 26-30 and the first SEABA Under-16 Men’s Championship July 25-29.

The SEABA women’s tilt will serve as a qualifier for the FIBA-Asia Women’s Championship in the same month and the U16 Women’s meet for the FIBA-Asia U16 Women’s Championship in October.

The junior tilt for men, meanwhile, will stake a berth to the FIBA-Asia Junior Men’s Championship in November.

“These are the SEABA qualifying tournaments for various FIBA-Asia Championships in 2009 and we’re now starting to prepare for all of these,” said Eala.

The team, which recently topped an invitational tournament in China, was formed by the SBP last month with the ultimate goal of playing in the 2012 London Olympics.

Collegiate stars Chris Tiu and Rabeh Al-Hussaini of reigning UAAP champion Ateneo, Ogie Menor of three-peat NCAA titlist San Beda and JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer of La Salle head the initial roster of players that included Jason Ballesteros of San Sebastian.

San Sebastian high school standout Arvie Bringas and 7-foot Fil-Am Greg Slaughter of University of Visayas and Joey Deas, another Fil-Am hotshot from Rockhurst University in Kansas are also in the list.

Also in the roster are Ateneo’s Ryan Buenafe and Nonoy Baclao, Far Eastern U’s Mark Barroca, Mac Baracael and JR Cawaling, University of the East’s Marcy Arellano and Paul Lee, Letran’s RJ Jazul, University of Santo Tomas’ Dylan Ababou, La Salle’s Peejay Barua, University of Cebu’s Rico Fajardo, University of the Philippines’ Magi Sison and Martin Reyes and Santo Tomas’ Jervy Cruz.

Pampanga Buddies’ Terrel Theophile and Reedley’s Philipp Paredes complete the developmental pool.

US-based Japeth Aguilar and Gian Chu as well as many-time Best Import Bobby Parks’ son, Ray, are likewise being eyed to join the squad.