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MANNY Pangilinan, lifetime honorary chairman of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, said the hosting of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 will bring a lot of opportunities for the Philippines, including the forming of what could be the best national team ever under the Gilas program.
“It (World Cup) may be six years from now, but we should start building the team now,” said Pangilinan at a press conference Thursday at the Crowne Hotel in Ortigas Center during the celebration of the Philippines’ successful bid to host the cage body’s biggest tournament.
With national coach Chot Reyes, sitting beside him, Pangilinan suggested some names that could still be around in the 2023 squad, such as Japeth Aguilar and the youth brigade, such as Kiefer Ravena and company.
“We might not have the likes of Jason Castro anymore, but of course it’s still the call of the coach (to form the team),” added Pangilinan, more popularly known in the business and sports community with his initials MVP.
Pangilinan also confirmed that the Philippines is given the privilege of an outright berth as the leading proponent to host the World Cup.
Rep. Robbie Puno, vice chairman, said that he is finding ways to form a law “that would see to it that associations or teams will lend their players to the national team when needed and as long as it is within the bounds of the constitution.”
The formation of the national team will coincide with organizing the working committees for the hosting job, along with Indonesia and Japan.
Meanwhile, the Philippines’ share of hosting the World Cup is sure to break attendance records.
SBP president Al Panlilio promised this a week after the Philippines earned the right to co-host the FIBA tournament with Indonesia and Japan.
“So, we can definitely surpass that with the final game to be held in the Philippines,” said Panlilio.
Panlilio noted that the highest attendance in a finals game was 35,000.
He said that compared to a Meralco-Ginebra finals, they drew a crowd of 54,000 when it was held in the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan a few months back in the Philippine Basketball Association finals.
Top officials of the International Basketball Federation are expecting a daily turnout of more than 50,000 fans.
For Panlilio, this will be a huge operation when the time comes.
“It’s a huge market in terms of corporate and marketing efforts, not only for the group but for FIBA,” added Panlilio.
The municipality of Bocaue, Bulacan will play host to the games at the Philippine Arena.
The competition will see the group stage held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, with the final phase headed to the Philippine capital city of Manila.
“This is the end of the beginning. We have to look for a team for 2023,” said Pangilinan. “It will be the current batch of rookies that will play by then.” With Peter Atencio