PBA to help country’s basketball governing body’s bid to host Fiba-Asia Men’s C’ships

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has an ally in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as the country’s cage body aims to snatch the hosting rights for the FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship next week.

PBA commissioner Chito Salud confirmed he is part of the delegation that will travel to Japan on Sept. 18 that will lobby to FIBA-Asia officials for the hosting of the prestigious basketball tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the 2014 FIBA-World Championships.

Also in that delegation are SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan, vice-chairman Ricky Vargas, executive director Sonny Barrios and former FIBA-Asia secretary general Moying Martelino. Joining them from the PBA side are PBA Board of Governors chairman Robert Non, vice-chairman Ramon Segismundo and treasurer Ely Capacio.

The country is expecting to get some tough opposition from Iran and Japan, who are also interested in hosting the tournament.

“I intend to impress upon our leaders in FIBA-Asia that the PBA is one with the SBP in its quest to regain basketball supremacy here in Asia,” said Salud in a press statement. “Unequivocal is our support of SBP’s quest to host the FIBA-Asia qualifying tournament here in 2013 and we want to make sure (FIBA-Asia) secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon gets that message.”

Khajirian recently visited the country for an ocular inspection of the Mall of Asia Arena, and came away impressed with the newly built playing venue patterned after some of the arenas owned by NBA teams.

The last time that the country has hosted this competition was in 1973. It has hosted the event twice with the first being in 1960 when it was still known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship.

Salud believes Filipino basketball fans are excited about the prospect of bringing the FIBA-Asia championship here after Smart Gilas-Pilipinas 2.0 won the 34th William Jones Cup basketball tournament in Taipei recently.

He said the country’s chances of qualifying for the FIBA-World Championship in Spain two years from now would be even better if the meet is held here given the expected hot reception of the local fans/with reports from PBA media bureau