Philippine National Basketball Team

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RP TEAM ( JONES CUP ) UPDATE

Harbour sa Jones Cup

MATAPOS ang Southeast Asian Games at SEABA competitions, susubukan naman ng Harbour Centre na pumalaot sa Asian basketball.

Tuloy ang pagsabak ng Batang Pier upang dalhin ang bandera ng Pilipinas sa 30th Jones Cup basketball tournament sa Taipei sa July 6-18.

“Mahirap pero we will try our best in Jones Cup. This will serve as a gauge kung saan ang kaya natin sa Asian level competitions,” wika ni Harbour Centre team owner Mikee Romero.

“Dito malalaman kung ano ang magiging kahandaan natin to have our team for the next Asian Games. Hindi ko pa nasusubukan ’yung Asian level kaya we will give it a shot,” aniya.

Kukunin ng Batang Pier ang core ng koponan na nagwagi ng ‘five-peat’ sa katatapos ng PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup, bukod sa huhugot sila ng reinforcements mula sa iba pang koponan.

Kabilang sa mga nais kunin ng national team sina three-time PBL MVP Jason Castro, Hapee Toothpaste guard Gabe Norwood at Fil-Am center Rob Reyes.

Ngunit pipilitin ng Harbour Centre na magpaalam sa NBL team Singapore Slingers upang makapaglaro si Castro sa national team, habang walang katiyakan kung magpapakitang-gilas si Norwood, na nagsabing gusto niya munang magbakasyon.

Ang 6-foot-7 na si Reyes, na naglaro sa Batang Pier, may dalawang taon na ang nakalilipas, ay babalik sa Pilipinas, kung saan balak niyang sumali sa pro rookie draft sa August.

Sinabi pa ni Romero na magsisimula nang mag-ensayo ang Harbour Centre para sa Jones Cup sa susunod na linggo, sa ilalim ng pagmamando ni coach Junel Baculi.

Huling nagkampeon ang Pilipinas sa Jones Cup noong 1998, kung saan ang bansa ay kinatawan ng mga manlalaro mula sa PBA na ginabayan ni coach Tim Cone.

Noong nakaraang taon, ang Nationals, na hinawakan ni coach Chot Reyes at naghahanda noon para sa Asian Olympic qualifying, ay nagtapos sa ikatlong puwesto, sa likuran ng Jordan at Lebanon.

Suportado ni Romero, ang Harbour-RP squad ay naghari sa SEABA Champions Cup noong nakaraang taon, na siyang unang titulo ng bansa magmula nang alisin ang FIBA suspension, at sa Thailand Southeast Asian Games.

Nabigo ang Nationals na maidepensa ang SEABA Champions Cup, may dalawang buwan na ang nakalilipas makaraang pumangalawa sa host Indonesia. Theodore P. Jurado


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Harbour Centre team owner Mikee Romero remains hopeful that his team, winner of five straight titles in the PBL, will be tapped to represent the country in the 30th Jones Cup next month. Romero said his squad is more than willing to don the RP colors once more, the same way it did in winning the gold medal in the 2007 SEABA in Jakarta and the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand.

In yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s along UN Avenue, Romero reacted to reports that Jones Cup organizers want a PBA team, and nothing less, to represent the Philippine in the Taiwan meet.

“Maybe they want a PBA team because it can bring in the crowd and the Filipinos in Taiwan. But I think our national team is equally entertaining and popular and equally great as PBA teams,” he said.

Romero said he has talked to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Pato Gregorio about their willingness to field a team that can be reinforced by a few players from the PBA.

“We’re still awaiting confirmation from the SBP which deals with the Jones Cup organizers. Maybe we can get the confirmation within the week,” said Romero. Also gracing the forum were Harbour Centre key players Jason Castro, the reigning MVP in the PBL, and Solomon Mercado, and team officials Erick Arejola and Albert Tirona. In case they are called in, Harbour Centre will tap Junel Baculi as head coach. Gregorio, according to Romero, said Harbour Centre can probably pick four or five PBA players from the three teams that will be eliminated in the ongoing PBA Fiesta Conference. To ensure that the Harbour Centre team will be equally strong and equally entertaining, Romero said they’re planning to tap the services of Japeth Aguilar, Gabe Norwood and Rob Reyes who are all in the US.

The 6-foot-9 Aguilar, son of former PBA player Peter Aguilar, saw action for the Western Kentucky University in the US NCAA Division 1 last year and can surely provide the ceiling for the team.

Norwood, of Hapee Toothpaste, is the sensational Fil-American who helped the country win the gold in the SEA Games while Reyes saw action for Harbour Centre last year.

Romero said Castro, who is bound for Australia to play for the Singapore Slingers in the National Basketball League, has agreed to play one more time for the national team.

“Technically he’s already with the Slingers but before I let him go I told them that Jason still needs to play one more tournament with the national team,” said Romero.

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payter ni xko! heheheheh x ni xta! hehehe ok ra bru?

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By Nelson Beltran
Friday, July 4, 2008
Chances are another all-pro team will be tapped to represent the country in the FIBA-Asia men’s championship in China next year.

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios and SBP executive director Noli Eala discussed the pro league’s role on national team program being crafted by the national federation in a meeting Monday.

“Our desire is to run a six-year comprehensive program, and we feel there’s a portion in that period that we can’t be left alone. We need the help of the pro league at least in the first two years,” Eala told The STAR.

“I read in the papers (SBP vice chairman) Mr. Ricky Vargas saying that. I think that can be done,” said Barrios in a separate interview.

“We don’t want to tackle the PBA’s long-term commitment to the national team. What we want clear-cut are just our short- and medium-term commitments,” Barrios added.

Five all-pro teams have been sent to elite international tournaments, getting their best showing of second place in the 1990 Beijing Asian Games under coach Robert Jaworski.

They had their worst showing –ninth place – in the Fiba-Asia championship in Tokushima, Japan last year under coach Chot Reyes.

Nonetheless, Eala believed Reyes gained some insights from the Tokushima experience that he sought his ideas and suggestions in drawing the master plan for the national team program.

“He has a very good idea on how we can further improve a program. And he’s willing to help even without appointment as the national coach,” said Eala.

“Among others, he talked about how we can secure services of players without hurting their mother teams, the value of synchronizing the calendar of local tournaments with the international events, how to source out funding from companies and still keep the national team within SBP program,” Eala added.

Both are looking at a comprehensive long-term program with a chief coach supervising an elite men’s pool, cadets pool and a third-tier 18-under pool.

If plans push through, PBA stars will compose the men’s pool at least in the next two years.

The PBA and SBP, however, need to come up with another memorandum of agreement since its previous MOA has lapsed after the Tokushima Olympic qualifier.

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Eala wants Chot inputs on RP five

Thursday, July 3, 2008
SBP executive director Noli Eala and Tokushima-Asian championship veteran coach Chot Reyes meet today to discuss the national team program although it doesn’t automatically mean that the Talk n Text mentor will be tapped to oversee the program.

“I’m consulting him in his capacity as the Tokushima RP team coach. He should have the ideas on what can be done to improve a program,” said Eala.

Eala is actually making the rounds of stakeholders as he’s drafting the master plan of a program that could hopefully bring the Philippines back to the Olympics in the near future.

The former PBA commissioner, who himself had a hand in the country’s unsuccessful bid in the Tokushima Fiba-Asia Olympic qualifier, said they’re putting up a national team committee which will name the coach of the soon-to-be-formed national pool.

Eala, who will be a part of the national team committee, is not limiting the choice among the PBA coaches.

“If you ask my opinion, it should not be limited to them. Just look at the US team, it’s now under collegiate coach Mike Krzyzewski assisted by NBA coaches,” said Eala.

A coach in the amateur ranks who could be considered for the job is Franz Pumaren, the current mentor of the Nokia RP Youth team whose players are likely to form the core of the pool to be trained under a long-term program.

Eala said he’ll bare the details of the complete program by the middle of the month.

“The national team committee will put together the meat to the program. After we have laid down the program, then we can go into personality (naming of the coach and players),” said Eala.

SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas has said that they would need PBA players for at least two more years before SBP can handle the national team with their own players.

Vargas suggested that Eala and PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios meet to discuss participation of the pro league in the SBP program. The two cage leaders meet Monday.

Under the SBP by-laws, elite tournaments like the Fiba-Asia championship fall under the jurisdiction of the pro league. The next Fiba-Asia tourney is set next year in China, serving as the qualifier for the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.

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SBP eyes SMC to fund RP team
By Waylon Galvez

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will have to ask first food and beverage giant San Miguel Corporation if it is willing to bankroll the training of an all-pro team that will compete in next year’s FIBA-Asia Championship in China before it will start looking for potential sponsors.

"Since they were the sponsor of the last RP team, the association will make an offer to them if they’re interested to sponsor the team again," said the source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiation.

The same source also revealed that in the event SMC declines the offer, the SBP plans to invite other companies including those owned by Smart Telecommunications chairman Manny V. Pangilinan who is also SBP president.

"It’s an option, in case they (SMC) decline," the source added.

The SBP is looking for sponsor to finance the training and actual participation of the all-pro team in the FIBA-Asia meet, which serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2010 World Championship in Turkey.

The PBA formally accepted the proposal of the basketball association to supply the coach and players of the national team.

The package, however, doesn’t include financing the team.

"As for funding, we’ll ask the SBP to look for sponsor to handle the financial requirement of the national team," PBA commissioner Renauld "Sonny" Barrios recently said.

Last year, SMC sponsored the nationals that placed ninth in the FIBA-Asia Championship Olympic qualifying meet in Tokushima, Japan. San Miguel reportedly spent around R50 million for the training and participation.

After the PBA Fiesta Cup, Barrios will name the national coach.

This early, Yeng Guiao of Red Bull is the frontrunner in the race for the coaching position. Also being considered are former RP team coaches Chot Reyes of Talk ’N Text, Jong Uichico of Barangay Ginebra and Tim Cone of Alaska.

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Uichico bats for Guiao as RP 5 coach
Friday, July 18, 2008

Jong Uichico has joined the fast-growing list of the “Yeng Guiao believers” but the Ginebra mentor hopes to do better than his Red Bull counterpart in their battle in the Smart PBA Fiesta Cup Final Four beginning Sunday at the Astrodome.

Uichico, who handled the RP team in the 2002 Busan Asiad, pitched for Guiao to be named coach of the national team to the world championship qualifier in China next year.

“I’m personally endorsing Yeng. His style of coaching may not be the norm but it’s effective. Whether you like it or nor, he’s been doing a great job and produces results,” said Uichico.

“The bottom line is we need results and we should go by results,” Uichico added.

The overwhelming majority of PBA officials are also for Guiao, the most consistent top performing coach in the pro league today.

“He’s been doing a good job. Hopefully, he doesn’t against me and my team,” said Uichico of his forthcoming semis duel with Guiao. – Nelson Beltran

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RP 5 coach to form own lineup – PBA

http://teampilipinas.info/2008/07/rp...ineup-pba.html

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said the coach of the RP team to the world qualifier next year would come from the PBA ranks and would be given full authority to form his team.

However, Barrios, the man with the sole mandate to name the next national coach, said he’s not yet ready to make the choice.


"I’ll break my head about the national team only after the Fiesta Cup. After the season, I’ll have a better landscape choosing the most deserving coach," said Barrios.

The PBA board of governors, in a special meeting Monday, approved SBP’s request for the pro league to supply players for the national team to the 2008 FIBA Asia championship next year in China. The tourney also serves as regional qualifier for the 2010 world championship in Turkey.

The league will officially inform the SBP of its decision during the planning session of the national federation in Cebu this weekend. Incoming PBA board chairman Joaqui Trillo represents the league in the SBP confab.

Being the most consistent coach in the PBA, Red Bull mentor Yeng Guiao overwhelming choice of league officials to hold the rein in the national team.

Chot Reyes is the only other coach named as possible candidate, endorsed for the continuity of his program with the national team that competed in last year’s Olympic qualifier in Tokushima, Japan.

Guiao has Tony Chua of Red Bull, Robert Non of SMC, Rene Pardo of Purefoods, Buddy Encarnado of Sta. Lucia, Lito Alvarez of Air21 and Raymund Yu of Welcoat on his side.

Coca-Cola’s JB Baylon is for Reyes while Trillo has Guiao on top of his list with Reyes at second.

Barrios insisted he has no one in mind yet, adding he would likely make his choice in September.

Barrios had his involvement with the national team in 2002 while working as officer-in-charge with then commissioner Jun Bernardino on leave. The late former commissioner was back in the office when the Jong Uichico-mentored RP team was already competing in the Busan Asian Games.

The PBA took the responsibility of forming the team but left to the SBP the task of looking for sponsors.

SBP is likely to give San Miguel Corp. the first crack.

source:
By NELSON BELTRAN
The Philippine Star

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Fil-Canadian high school hotshot Matthew Wright is now booked to arrive in the country on Aug. 2 to reinforce the Nokia RP Youth team competing in the 2008 Asian junior men’s championship slated Aug. 28-Sept. 5 in Tehran, Iran.

However, 6-foot-7 Fil-Am behemoth Kyle Pascual has opted not to return and 6-foot-6 San Sebastian stalwart Arvie Bringas wasn’t allowed by his school to join the team, thus, decimating the front court rotation of coach Franz Pumaren.

The team has been working out daily in the afternoon and will play China, Chinese Taipei and Lithuania in a four-day Manila invitational tourney from Aug. 14-18 in the final stage of its preparation for the Tehran joust.

Tao Corp. president Jun Sy, who’s organizing the invitational tourney, said the event will be held either at the Cuneta Astrodome or at The Arena in San Juan.

“The team has improved a lot. The problem is that we’re still in search of a big man to improve the team’s ceiling,” said Sy, the chief benefactor of the team.

“The boys are no longer backing down in a rugged match,” added Sy, impressed with the team’s tough showing against the Laguna team of the Liga Pilipinas.

The addition of Wright could well boost the team’s firepower.

Wright is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard who has made a name for himself starring for the Martin Grove team in the Toronto District Secondary School Athletic Association.

He had been hoping to latch up with a US NCAA Division I school before being convinced by Toronto buddy Norberto Torres to join the RP youth team. Torres led the team to their SEABA championship conquest last month.

Through the first quarter of the year, Wright, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student, led the Martin Grove Bears in scoring, averaging 21 points a game. He topscored in 18 of their first 26 games.


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Tall Lithuania Five first to test RP Youth’s mettle

By Joel Orellana
Reporter

THE Philippine youth team under coach Franz Pumaren will be put to a big test early as they face Lithuania in their first game in the Nokia-RP Youth Invitational tournament starting on August 14.

Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) executive director Noli Eala confirmed the participation of the Lithuanian under-18 squad for the four-nation tournament that will be held at the Cuneta Astrodome.

“Lithuania is a powerhouse team in Europe. I think they will be a big challenge for our team,” Eala told the BusinessMirror Thursday. “It’s a very solid and tall team. We’re looking forward to see how our team responds to this challenge.”

Lithuania almost withdrew from the tournament because of visa problems, Eala disclosed, and was supposed to be replaced by the Australian youth team. But the Lithuanians solved the problem in time for the tournament.

Lithuania’s starting five is composed of six-foot-three August Peciukevicius and six-foot-four Mantas Kadzevisius at guard, six-foot-seven Gilvydas Biruta and six-foot-nine Giedrius Staniulis at forward and six-foot-11 Tautvydas Slezas at center.

Handled by veteran coach Vitoldas Masalskis, Lithuania also has seven-foot-one Donatas Motiejunas, six-foot-eight Tomas Milinskas and six-foot-10 Evaldas Kairys. Matas Sapiega is the squad’s smallest player at five-foot-11.

Pumaren’s frontline of Norberto Torres and Philip Paredes stand at six-foot-seven. Six-foot-six Kyle Pascual opted not to return to the team, and six-foot-six stalwart Arvin Bringas was not released by his San Sebastian high-school squad for the invitational.

Pumaren said this tourney will serve as the team’s final tune-up for the International Basketball Federation Asia Junior Championship for boys from August 28 to September 5 in Tehran, Iran.

“It will be a good test for us because we will know how our players will fare against taller teams,” Pumaren said in a previous interview. “Right now, our main concern, really, is the lack of ceiling because in Iran, we will play against seven-footers.”

One positive development for the RP-Nokia youth team is Filipino-Canadian Matthew Wright, who is arriving Saturday. The 16-year-old Wright is a six-foot-two shooter who led his high school team, the Martin Groves Bears, in scoring with 21 points a game.

Also entered in the tournament are China and Chinese Taipei. China, according to Eala, is sending its top junior team for the tourney arranged by the BAP-SBP and the Tao Corp. of Julio Sy Jr.

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Tall Lithuania Five first to test RP Youth’s mettle

By Joel Orellana
Reporter

THE Philippine youth team under coach Franz Pumaren will be put to a big test early as they face Lithuania in their first game in the Nokia-RP Youth Invitational tournament starting on August 14.

Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) executive director Noli Eala confirmed the participation of the Lithuanian under-18 squad for the four-nation tournament that will be held at the Cuneta Astrodome.

“Lithuania is a powerhouse team in Europe. I think they will be a big challenge for our team,” Eala told the BusinessMirror Thursday. “It’s a very solid and tall team. We’re looking forward to see how our team responds to this challenge.”

Lithuania almost withdrew from the tournament because of visa problems, Eala disclosed, and was supposed to be replaced by the Australian youth team. But the Lithuanians solved the problem in time for the tournament.

Lithuania’s starting five is composed of six-foot-three August Peciukevicius and six-foot-four Mantas Kadzevisius at guard, six-foot-seven Gilvydas Biruta and six-foot-nine Giedrius Staniulis at forward and six-foot-11 Tautvydas Slezas at center.

Handled by veteran coach Vitoldas Masalskis, Lithuania also has seven-foot-one Donatas Motiejunas, six-foot-eight Tomas Milinskas and six-foot-10 Evaldas Kairys. Matas Sapiega is the squad’s smallest player at five-foot-11.

Pumaren’s frontline of Norberto Torres and Philip Paredes stand at six-foot-seven. Six-foot-six Kyle Pascual opted not to return to the team, and six-foot-six stalwart Arvin Bringas was not released by his San Sebastian high-school squad for the invitational.

Pumaren said this tourney will serve as the team’s final tune-up for the International Basketball Federation Asia Junior Championship for boys from August 28 to September 5 in Tehran, Iran.

“It will be a good test for us because we will know how our players will fare against taller teams,” Pumaren said in a previous interview. “Right now, our main concern, really, is the lack of ceiling because in Iran, we will play against seven-footers.”

One positive development for the RP-Nokia youth team is Filipino-Canadian Matthew Wright, who is arriving Saturday. The 16-year-old Wright is a six-foot-two shooter who led his high school team, the Martin Groves Bears, in scoring with 21 points a game.

Also entered in the tournament are China and Chinese Taipei. China, according to Eala, is sending its top junior team for the tourney arranged by the BAP-SBP and the Tao Corp. of Julio Sy Jr.