SBP pushes for cagebelles inclusion in Fiba-Asia meet

MANILA, Philippines -  The Philippine women’s basketball team set to see action in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia in November could be in a for bigger battle – the 2010 FIBA-Asia Championship in Nagasaki, Japan.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios yesterday said the SBP will lobby for the inclusion of the team, named Discovery Perlas, in the annual tournament set Aug. 21-28 in the city of Omura.

The eight-day meet will serve as a qualifier to the 2012 London Olympics.

“We’re continuously communicating with FIBA-Asia for our team to get in so that we could prepare immediately,” said Barrios in his first SBP Congress attended by the country’s stakeholders.

The SBP was actually sent a confirmation letter from FIBA-Asia as early as March 15 only to be told a week later that the tournament roster has already been filled up.

There were reports that the country is fourth in the waiting list, which means there are three countries ahead of them in case some teams back out .

“We were told it was first-come, first-served basis so apparently we were not early enough. We’re not remiss though because we were informed the deadline was April 10,” said Barrios.

If the Phl’s request will not be approved, it will mark the second time that Discovery Perlas would miss a second Asian event in a row after skipping the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

The Nationals were supposed to be in the second level of the Japan meet alongside Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore, or one tier below the group comprising of powerhouse China, South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, India and Lebanon.

Barrios though was told by FIBA-Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock that he would help the Filipinos in their request.