RP belles eye quarterfinals in FIBA tilt

MANILA, Philippines - The Careline-Pilipinas women’s under-18 team hopes to overcome the odds and spring a surprise when it competes in the 20th FIBA Asia U18 Championship on June 23-30 in Surat Thani, Thailand.

The RP belles are bracketed with SEA Games rivals Thailand, Singapore, India, Laos and Sri Lanka in Group II.

“It’s a tough mission but we hope we can win several games and advance to the quarterfinal round,” said coach Patrick Aquino.

Dioceldo Sy, chairman of Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc., believes that the team’s series of games in Taiwan last April will serve them in good stead in the tournament long dominated by China.

Though some of the players they wanted were not allowed to join the team by their respective schools, Aquino and Sy remain confident of the team’s chances against its taller and heftier rivals.

“We’re sad that some of our players were not allowed by their schools to join us but we’re hoping that our big fighting heart and determination will carry us,” said Sy. “This is a big challenge to us.”

RP has struggled in the tournament since finishing third in 1978 which the country hosted for the second time. The RP team also finished third the first time it hosted the event in 1972.

Leading this year’s squad are Danica Jose, the tallest at 6 feet, Jackie Tanaman of Far Eastern U, Camille Claro, Ginny Pioquinto and Lore Rivera. The other members are Elrica Castro, Tere Aseron, Kitkat Nitorreda, Trisha Dy, Nelia Sinsioco, Cheskie Tantoco and Alyanna Ong.

The team, backed by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Sports Commission, is leaving on June 21 with Silliman Sy and Johnson Martines as team managers.

China has the most number of titles in the event with 11 but Japan is the defending champion. Both China and Japan are bracketed in Group I along with five-time champion Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.