Another missed opportunity

Asia’s most promising cagers from 19 years old and below are getting together for a four-day camp organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) at the Shanghai Sports Institute in China on June 8-11 and unfortunately, the Philippines is not included in the list of 14 participating countries.

NBA Asia senior marketing manager Carlo Singson, who happens to be a Filipino based in Hong Kong, sent an e-mail the other day saying it’s too bad the Philippines won’t be represented in the program called "Basketball Without Borders Asia."

"With the impasse between the BAP (Basketball Association of the Philippines) and the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee), it really is the basketball players who suffer," said Singson.

"Check out the upcoming ‘Basketball Without Borders’ event in Shanghai in which not a single Filipino was invited to participate because there is no acknowledged national federation to select the most deserving players.

"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime (as I’m sure last year’s participant Ogie Menor would agree) for one or two of our own but sadly, no one can participate this year."

The Philippines’ FIBA suspension is the reason why no Filipino was invited to go to Shanghai.

Unless the Philippines is able to resolve the leadership crisis that prompted the suspension, FIBA will continue to ignore the country in its sanctioned events and tournaments. Since last year’s suspension, the Philippines has been barred from playing in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championships, the FIBA-Asia Championships and the Southeast Asian Games.

BAP president Joey Lina has reportedly said the suspension can and will be lifted in two months, during the FIBA World Congress in Japan, if only the stakeholders come to terms on a modus vivendi with whatever National Sports Association is recognized by the POC and FIBA.

If the suspension is lifted in two months, the Philippines will be cleared to play basketball at the Asian Games in Doha this December. The Asian Games basketball tournament will be supervised by FIBA officials and participants must be FIBA member countries in good standing.

There are 49 players from 14 Asian countries attending the Shanghai camp. The countries are China, Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia and Singapore. Aside from the Philippines, other Southeast Asian countries not represented include Thailand and Indonesia.

Camp coaches are Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Childress, Toronto Raptors center Matt Bonner, Orlando Magic forward Pat Garrity, Portland Trail Blazers center Ha Seung Jin, Philadelphia 76ers center Samuel Dalembert and Houston Rockets guard (and former Philippine Basketball Association import) Richie Frahm. Former NBA players Sam Perkins and Jerome Williams will also teach at the camp whose overall director is Rockets assistant coach Dean Cooper.

At the inaugural Asian camp in Beijing last year, Yao and San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker led a cast of coaches who tutored 50 teenagers from 15 countries. Menor, a San Beda College player, represented the Philippines. University of Sto. Tomas’ Jervy Cruz would’ve been the other Filipino representative but he was not allowed by his school to attend because of conflict of schedules.

The campers will be divided into teams without regard to race and nationality. They will share living quarters with their new teammates and participate in daily motivational life-skills seminars that promote education, leadership, character development, healthy living and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. There will also be extensive community outreach activities.

"’Basketball Without Borders’ is truly a global program that transcends all boundaries," said NBA commissioner David Stern. "Through the sport of basketball, it unites young people from diverse cultural, national and economic backgrounds. The NBA is proud to join forces with FIBA and its federations to bring together young athletes from around the world for such an impactful program that also serves as an essential forum for important social issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention."

For his part, Yao said: "This will be a special homecoming for me. I hope to make a different and impact the young Asian basketball talents with on-court and off-court skills and values. I also look forward to the chance of giving back to the community and city, which I grew up in."

NBA China vice president Mark Fischer said: "The NBA is grateful for the support of our partners which will enable the young campers from all over Asia an opportunity to share and give voice to their dreams and aspirations. The camp is one of the cornerstones of the NBA’s global outreach efforts where athletes will not only be trained in basketball but more importantly, they are taught crucial live skills that will impact their lives positively."

China, as host country, has the largest delegation of players with 14. Next is Korea with seven. Kazakhstan has five representatives, Iran four and India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon three each.

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