Cagebelles hone up in Robredo Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Discovery Perlas Pilipinas primes up for a possible stint in this year’s Southeast Asian Games as they take on a crack Australian squad and Singapore’s national team in the second Discovery Women’s Basketball Invitational-Jessie M. Robredo Memorial Cup unfolding Aug. 22 in Naga City.

The four-day event ending Aug. 25 serves as part of the national team’s buildup for the SEAG in Myanmar, according to the organizers, led by businesswoman-sports patron Cynthia Tiu in yesterday’s press launch at Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center.

“This is the second time that this invitational tournament will be held in the province. This is our way of reaching out to the grassroots community,” said Tiu.

She added that they have actually invited India to join the tournament but the latter begged off following a ban imposed by International Olympic Committee on its National Olympic Committee since December last year.

The tournament is held in honor of the late Department of Interior and Local Government secretary Jessie Robredo, who perished in a plane crash last year.

The Discovery Perlas squad is made up of players who won the seventh Southeast Asian Basketball Association championship in 2010.

“This tournament is timely with the death anniversary of Sec. Robredo,” said Tiu, who was joined in the press launch by tournament commissioner Noli Ayo.