RP cagers cop SEABA title

Long beaten by China and South Korea for Asian basketball supremacy, the Philippines, for some solace, continued to keep its grip of power in this part of the continent, making a successful defense of its Southeast Asian Basketball Association men’s crown versus Thailand yesterday.

The RP cagers easily stamped their class over their Thai rivals, fashioning out a 90-73 rout that somehow gave the country’s warring basketball leaders something to crow about.

The Nationals kept the SEABA tournament their private preserve as they completed a five-game sweep in the six-day tournament followed by a sizeable crowd at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

For all their sacrifices, it was a sweet win for the players, culled from the Metropolitan Basketball Association, who practically went through the storm while in training amidst the leadership crisis in the Basketball Association of the Philippines.

"This is not for any league nor for any official. This is for our fellow Filipinos, for the flag and country," said RP coach David Zamar.

With their SEABA quest done, the RP cagers will be back in training to prepare for the ABC Men’s Championship in July in Shanghai, China and the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in September.

Christian Calaguio once again spearheaded the Philippines’ charge and the ace San Juan Knight in the MBA went on to win the tournament’s MVP plum.

Singapore bagged the second runner-up trophy by toppling Indonesia, 81-78, earlier on the day.