French team to highlight festivities

MANILA, Philippines — There are plans to bring over defending French league champion ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne to play a series of exhibition games or participate in a mini-tournament involving Gilas as the sports highlight of a multi-sector celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and France this year.

French Ambassador to the Philippines and Micronesia Michéle Boccoz recently hosted a lunch meeting at her North Forbes residence to discuss the basketball project with SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, SBP president Al Panlilio, Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy, Blackwater PBA governor Silliman Sy and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial. The plan is for ASVEL to stay a week in the country with a game against Blackwater to kick off the tour in Laoag then a series of exhibitions with Gilas or a mini-tournament in Metro Manila during the first week of September.

Boccoz designated French Embassy Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs Marc Piton to coordinate the project with Marcial. Vargas said an option would be to pit ASVEL against Gilas, the visiting EASL team Bay Area Dragons and a PBA team or selection in a four-way, round robin tournament. Gilas coach Chot Reyes said he welcomes the opportunity to plug more games in the national team’s schedule to prepare for the last two World Cup qualifying windows on Nov. 10-14 and Feb. 23-27 next year with the Asian Games on Sept. 10-25 postponed indefinitely. The Dragons, coached by Australian team tactician Brian Goorjian, will be based in Manila for over 200 days starting August and EASL CEO Matt Beyer said the team is open to play in the mini-tournament.

Piton said sports, music and cuisine will be featured in the collaborative events during the anniversary celebration. MVP said business opportunities, particularly in telecoms and energy, may be explored, too and Panlilio suggested other art forms like fashion. Boccoz said the Embassy is excited to implement joint projects of mutual interest. She said ASVEL owner and NBA legend Tony Parker will be invited to join the team for the visit but his arrival will depend on commitments in his schedule. Parker’s younger brother TJ is ASVEL’s coach. Heading the ASVEL team are French national player 6-4 Antoine Diot, NBA veteran and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother 6-10 Kostas, 7-3 naturalized import Youssoupha Fall of Senegal and French national player 6-8 William Howard.