SBP World Cup bid gets big boost

THE SAMAHANG Basketball ng Pilipinas is dead serious in its bid to host the 2018 Fiba World Cup with the country’s governing body in the sport enlisting the help of a renowned global consulting firm.

Octagon Worldwide, a firm that does consultations on bidding projects, is now working closely with the SBP to boost the country’s chances in the ambitious undertaking.

SBP officials Patrick Gregorio, Sonny Barrios and Butch Antonio will travel to Geneva in Switzerland to attend a two-day workshop that the Fiba will host for  countries interested in hosting the event.  That affair is scheduled Dec. 15 and 16.

The Philippines will be going up against Germany, France and China, Brazil, Mexico and Lithuania for the right  to host the event.

After an absence of close to four decades, the Philippines returned to the World Cup which Spain staged in four cities last August.

Gilas Pilipinas also won its first game when it nipped Senegal in overtime in its final group phase game in Seville.