Phl team braces for Fiba-World U-17

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine U-17 team to the FIBA-World U-17 Championship vows to be competitive despite the tough competition awaiting the young Filipino cages in Dubai from Aug. 8-16.

Coach Jamike Jarin made this clear during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey’s Malate, saying the team captained by Mike Nieto may be short in ceiling, but definitely not lacking in heart.

“Even though we lack in height,  Filipinos are known for playing with hearts,” said Jarin.

“We will be very competitive, we’ll promise that. It’s only two things, either they’re gonna be surprised or we’re gonna be surprised.”

The Phl team finished a surprising second behind China during last year’s FIBA-Asia U-17 meet to make it to the world stage for the very first time.

A total of 16 countries qualified to the nine-day event and grouped into four. The Filipinos have been bracketed in Group A along with African champion Angola, Greece, and world power United States.

“We’re coming as the smallest team not only in our group, but in the entire tournament. So we plan to make the game faster, quicker, and let our opponent shot from the outside,” stressed Jarin in the same session presented by Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The Filipinos play Angola first, followed by Greece, and then the US, which Jarin said is powered by young players whom he feels are already NBA-bound by next year if the league didn’t adjust its rule prohibiting high school cagers from directly applying in the Draft.

As part of its preparation, the Phl U-17 team trained for two weeks in Las Vegas and Los Angeles last summer.

“In two weeks, we played together as one and that was a good chance to enhance the team’s camaraderie,” said the young coach, who serves as one of Norman Black’s deputies at Talk `N Text.

After the FIBA-World meet, the coaching staff will proceed to Doha, Qatar where they will hook up with the Phl U-18 team seeing action in the FIBA-Asia U-18 Championship set from Aug. 19-28.

At least three players from the U-17 team are also suiting up in Qatar led by Richard Escoto of Far Eastern University.

“Yung sa Doha no groupings yet, probably within the month,” added Jarin.