Conflict in sked worked against 3-on-3 team - Eala

SINGAPORE – “Lend us the best players and we’ll win medals for the country.”

This was the message that Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala tried to send across from this tiny island nation following two bitter losses the RP boys’ 3-on-3 team suffered against old-time favorites China and Korea.

The RP Team composed of Mario Bonleon, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Michael Tolomia and Jeron Alvin Teng, and coached by Eric Altamirano won their first five matches against Mongolia, Japan, Iran, Jordan and the UAE before losing two in a row.

A three-point loss to China in the semis and an equally stunning four-point defeat to Korea in the battle for the bronze last Saturday left the players, all under 17 years old and no taller than 6’3,” broken-hearted and team officials thinking of the perennial “what-ifs.”

Without naming names, Eala said there were other players they had in mind when they started forming the team to the inaugural staging of the Asian Youth Games. But to their disappointment, these players were not made available to them.

“That’s why we had to put together a team that would be available,” said Eala, without taking anything away from the players who made a lot of heads turn here by beating the taller, more experienced Iran team heading into the semis against China.

He said some of the country’s finest 14-17 players not being made available for these Games that took only less than 10 days to finish was a big blow to the country’s bid to land a medal that could have given its youth basketball program a boost.

“So that’s something we need to look at. How we can bring the best teams to tournaments like this especially if the UAAP is ongoing,” said Eala, referring to the country’s premier collegiate that won’t start until the end of this week.

A couple of MVPs in the collegiate leagues, including the NCAA, which is ongoing, could have served the RP Team here in good stead.

“But overall, the team played well considering that we couldn’t bring in the best players because of the collegiate schedule. And at least we can say that at this level, 16 or 17 under, the Philippines is at par with Asia’s best,” said the SBP official.

“Our skill level is much higher. It’s just that we really lack the ceiling,” added Eala of the RP Team that had Javillonar the tallest at around 6’3” as compared to China and Korea which had 16- or 17-year-olds as tall as 6’5.” – Abac Cordero