RP Under-16 squad upbeat about FIBA Asia chances
11/14/2009 | 12 NN
Fresh from winning a pocket tournament in Cebu, the Nokia-Pilipinas under-16 young men’s team is now ready to go big time in the FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship in Johor Baru Malaysia from Nov.19-27.
And from where his team stands, coach Eric Altamirano has every reason to feel confident about his wards’ chances against the best youth teams in the region, such as the strong Iranian quintet that they beat recently.
“Our recent victory in a pocket tournament in Cebu kept us in great shape and enabled us to compete against taller teams like Iran, for example," said Altamirano.
The former PBA champion mentor has at his disposal a couple of up-and-coming second-generation players, UAAP juniors Finals MVP Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo and Jeron Alvin Teng of Xavier, sons of Bong Ravena and Alvin Teng, respectively.
The two young cagers are hoping to achieve something which their fathers failed to do so – winning a major tournament in Asia that would send the Philippines into the World Under-16 Championship.
Altamirano knows getting there will be a daunting task and his team will need to hurdle past its rivals from Group B – Japan, Bahrain and the highly-physical Kazakhstan five.
“Kazakhstan plays similar with Iran, so it was really a great opportunity for us playing Iran in a pocket tournament here. They’re tall and physical. But I think my players will not be intimidated," said Altamirano.
The Nokia-Pilipinas squad opens its bid against Japan on Nov. 19 then plays the Kazakhs the following day before capping its group assignment against Bahrain on Nov. 21. Only one team will be eliminated after the first round of the competitions, meaning the Philippines will only need to win one of its first three assignments to make it to the next round.
Other notable players in the squad include Chris Tolomia, Cedric Labingisa, Paolo Luis Romero and Kevin Ferrer. - GMANews.TV
And from where his team stands, coach Eric Altamirano has every reason to feel confident about his wards’ chances against the best youth teams in the region, such as the strong Iranian quintet that they beat recently.
“Our recent victory in a pocket tournament in Cebu kept us in great shape and enabled us to compete against taller teams like Iran, for example," said Altamirano.
Altamirano
The two young cagers are hoping to achieve something which their fathers failed to do so – winning a major tournament in Asia that would send the Philippines into the World Under-16 Championship.
Altamirano knows getting there will be a daunting task and his team will need to hurdle past its rivals from Group B – Japan, Bahrain and the highly-physical Kazakhstan five.
“Kazakhstan plays similar with Iran, so it was really a great opportunity for us playing Iran in a pocket tournament here. They’re tall and physical. But I think my players will not be intimidated," said Altamirano.
The Nokia-Pilipinas squad opens its bid against Japan on Nov. 19 then plays the Kazakhs the following day before capping its group assignment against Bahrain on Nov. 21. Only one team will be eliminated after the first round of the competitions, meaning the Philippines will only need to win one of its first three assignments to make it to the next round.
Other notable players in the squad include Chris Tolomia, Cedric Labingisa, Paolo Luis Romero and Kevin Ferrer. - GMANews.TV
