Asian Pilots Invitational up at BGC

MANILA, Philippines – Teams from five major airlines are competing in the first Asian Pilots Invitational basketball tournament, which blasts off Jan. 14 at Treston International College in Bonifacio Global City.

Vying for top honors in the tournament,hosted by Airlines Pilots Association-Singapore (ALPA-S) with Ed Cordero as league commissioner and PBA legend Ramon Fernandez as tournament director, are ALPA-S, Cebu Pac, Thai-PA, Philippine Airlines and Air Asia.

The teams will play a single round-robin format in the elimination phase, with the top two teams disputing the crown and the third and fourth-ranked squads contesting the bronze.

A three-point shootout will be held before the finals on Jan. 16.

Capt. Julio “Yeng” Rosales II of Singapore Airlines said the tournament aims to foster and establish friendship among pilots from around the region.

Rosales said basketball was chosen because there has always been keen interest in the sport in the SIA Group with staff from various subsidiaries playing every Wednesday and Thursday at the SIA Sports Club.

SIA has also formed the Wingers, a group composed of 50 pilots who hold weekly games in local communities in Singapore.

In 2013, the group gathered pilots from SIA, PAL, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia Philippines for an event, which was followed by more goodwill games before it eventually developed into the Asian Pilots cagefest.