PBA Backs SBP’s Hosting Bid

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will lend its full support to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) when the cage body lobbies for the country’s hosting of the FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship next week.

League commissioner Chito Salud confirmed he’ll form part of the delegation that travels to Tokyo, Japan on Sept. 18 to make a case before executives of FIBA-Asia about the Philippines’ capability to stage an event as big as the qualifier for the 2014 FIBA-World Championships.

Salud will be with a small but important group of Filipino basketball officials travelling to the Japanese capital for the country’s presentation of its hosting bid. The SBP will be led by president Manny V. Pangilinan, vice-chairman Ricky Vargas, executive director Sonny Barrios, and former FIBA-Asia secretary general Moying Martelino.

The PBA Board of Governors will also pitch in its support as Salud is going to be accompanied by Chairman Robert Non, Vice-chairman Ramon Segismundo, and Treasurer Ely Capacio.

Aside from the Philippines, also bidding to host the 2013 FIBA-Asia meet are Iran and late entry Japan.

“I intend to impress upon our leaders in FIBA-Asia that the PBA is one with the SBP in its quest to regain basketball supremacy here in Asia,” said Salud. “Unequivocal is our support of SBP’s quest to host the FIBA-Asia qualifying tournament here in 2013 and we want to make sure (FIBA-Asia) secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon gets that message.

Khajirian recently visited the country for an ocular inspection of the Mall of Asia Arena, and came away impressed with the newly-built playing venue patterned after some of the arenas owned by NBA teams.

The country hosted the inaugural staging of the biennial meet in 1960 when it was still known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship. A five-time winner – second in the history of the event – the Philippine last hosted the cagefest in 1973.
source: mb.com.ph