At first blush, the
recently-concluded 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China would be something
that Filipino fans of the sport, and of the men’s national team Gilas, would
prefer to damn from their memories. Of the 32 participating national teams,
Gilas placed dead last with a totally winless campaign, being humbled both by
FIBA top contenders and even middle-ranked squads. But as the closing ceremony
took place in Beijing September 15, following the epic Finals triumph of Spain
over Argentina, there was a scene where Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming
handed the FIBA flag to a Filipino business magnate familiar to basketball
fanatics: MVP.
That is, of course, Manny V.
Pangilinan, now chairman emeritus of the country’s FIBA-accredited national
sport association for basketball, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
Despite no longer having an active role in SBP leadership he was, according to Inquirer.net, present at Beijing to
receive the flag symbolic of hosting rights for the next Basketball World Cup
in 2023. True, this future tournament is actually a three-way hosting
engagement between the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. But for his efforts to push the envelope for
the men’s national team, and the winning 3-country joint FIBA bid, it seemed
appropriate that he be present for the handover.
With outgoing FIBA president
Horacio Muratore and two executives of China’s local organizing committee for
the 2019 Cup witnessing, Chinese Basketball Association chief Yao Ming
presented the FIBA hosting flag to the delegation of the 2023 join hosts. “MVP”
Pangilinan headed the group, which included FIBA Central Board members Yuko
Mitsuya and Erick Thohir representing the Philippines’ co-hosts. Also present
was Chairman Ricky Vargas of the PBA, the major source for Gilas players, as
well as his counterpart in the Indonesia Basketball Federation, Danny Kosashi.
Manny V. Pangilinan would be the
first to remark how fortunate the Philippines turned out in its joint hosting
bid, after being outdone by China for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup,
arguably the first in a long chain of misfortunes for Gilas in said tournament.
After all, both this country and China are in Asia, and the prospect of keeping
the Basketball World Cup in the same region twice felt like an iffy prospect.
Yet it was done, to MVP’s joy. “We’re bringing home the FIBA flag with us,” he
says, “A huge honor and privilege for SBP and great pride for our people.”
The current SBP president Al
Panlilio will serve as event director for the 2023 World Cup, with a Steering
Committee coordinating preparations between the Philippines, Indonesia and
Japan, and a Local Organizing Committee for each country involved. The Gilas
team roster for 2023 will also start development in that time. As an added
privilege, the World Cup Draw determining the tournament groupings will be held
in Manila. All in all, it is coming off as a nice bounce-back to the FIBA
disappointment of this year, even if it takes four more years before it
happens.
Image courtesy of SBP Facebook
0 comments:
Post a Comment