Nationals face Thais in Asian under-18

The Xtreme RP team faces Southeast Asian power Thailand to start its quest in the 19th FIBA-Asia under-18 ladies championship at the Angkasa Lanud Hall today.

Back in the tough Asian joust for the first time in a long while, the RP team sets out with a modest goal of playing competitively to earn the respect of the opposition.

The RP girls have long been mired in level II competition, a long shot even in the Southeast Asian level.

But coach Raymond Celis is hopeful he’s trained the team enough to compete well in this year’s tourney.

Celis has Katherine Sandel, Fria Bernardo, Khaterine Mangahas, Angelica Ortega, Ana Versoza, Agatha Marie Estrero, Marilourd Socorro Borja, Raiza Rose Palmera, Mary Joan Leviste, Carmina Laguindanum, Cindy Resultay and Allalaine Degomas with Raymund Celis at his disposal.

The team, backed by Xtreme Magic Sing, challenges Thailand, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong in level II.

Six-time defending champion China, Korea, Japan, Chinese-Taipei, India and Malaysia slug it out in the elite Level I which decides the champion as well as the three qualifiers for the 2009 World Championship.

The top four finishers in Level I advance to the knockout semifinals. The top two finishers from Level II, meanwhile, will play off with the bottom two finishers of Level I for a place in the elite level for the next edition.

Having been in the elite level before, the Thais and the Kazakhs are favored against the Filipinas, the Singaporeans, the Indonesians and the Hong Kong girls.

China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei have always been the top four in this championship for over two decades now.

The last time any team outside this foursome made the semifinals was 1984 when Malaysia made the semis in the eighth edition of the championship in Seoul, Korea.

China, Korea and Japan were the top three in 2006, gaining the right to represent the region in the 2007 FIBA World U19 Championship in Slovakia.