MANILA, Philippines -- In a few days, many of the best basketball stars in the planet are about to descend upon the Philippines to compete against each other in the FIBA World Cup, which the country would get to host at three different venues — the Philippine Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena.
And what better way to start it is by whispering a prayer.
“Just finished Mass at San Antonio Forbes,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ first president and now chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan on his social media app X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.
“To ask for the good Lord’s blessing on our hosting of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and its success. Mabuhay ang Pilipino! Go Gilas! Puso,” he added.
It was the PLDT Inc. and MVP Sports Foundation chairman himself who brokered bringing the event of such unbelievable magnitude to a small but basketball-crazed country a few years back.
The country will host Group A games where Gilas Pilipinas is bracketed with Angola, Italy and Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan and the Big Dome in Quezon City as well Group B at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and Groups C and D at the MOA Arena.
The MOA Arena and Big Dome will also be the venues for Groups I and J matches of the second round, while the former will be the site of the final knockout phase.
The event’s other games will be shared by Japan in Okinawa and Indonesia in Jakarta.And Pangilinan liked what he is seeing.
“Just finished with penultimate preparatory meeting on FIBA World Cup hosting. Looking good, almost there. We start Monday night — dinner for FIBA Central Board. Team excited, excellent job,” said Pangilinan.
And the hosts would need anything and everything to make the event — slated August 25 to September 10 — a success.
Including prayers.