Coaches on scouting trip to Japan, Korea

In keeping with the promise of leaving no stone unturned in its bid to regain glory in the Asian Games, the scouting mission of the Philippine team took off in earnest yesterday with head coach Jong Uichico sending people to Japan to take a look at top Japanese players.

Assistant coach Allan Caidic and chief scout Binky Favis were tapped to go to Tokyo to scout potential would-be members of the Japanese national team in the semifinals of the Japanese Basketball League.

After a week of scouting mission in Japan, Caidic and Favis then fly to South Korea to do the same job on the Koreans also in the semifinals of their own league.

"Hindi pa buo ang Japan at Korean national teams pero doon sa semifinals ng liga nila, makikita namin ang individual games ng at least siguro kalahati ng magiging national teams nila," said Caidic.

"We heard that Japan has one good, tall naturalized player set to play for the team in this coming Asian Games. Isa siya sa titignan namin sa biyahe namin doon," Caidic added.

The RP coaching staff has put its scouting mission in motion while at the same time gearing up the national buildup at home seven months before the actual campaign in Busan, South Korea in September.

Another RP scouting team will go to Malaysia for the ABC Champion’s Cup in May and yet another to Chinese Taipei for the Jones Cup in June. Uichico expects to spot the Arab teams in Malaysia and some other teams in Taipei.

American coach Paul Howard, a good friend of coach Ron Jacobs, has expressed willingness to help the Philippines in scouting China and Lebanon in their stints in the world championship in Indianapolis.

In their PBA guest stint, the national hopefuls test each other’s mettle as they clash Sunday in the 6 p.m. mainer of a double-header at the Philsports Arena. RP Hapee holds a 2-1 win-loss card while RP Selecta sports a 1-2 card.

In the absence of Caidic, Uichico is likely to handle one team and Eric Altamirano the other.

The national pool is still depleted with injuries to brothers Danny and Andy Seigle, Johnny Abarrientos, Eric Menk and Noy Castillo.