PH cagebelles open Seaba bid vs Singapore

Members of the Perlas Pilipinas team pose before leaving for the SEABA Championship in Malaysia. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PERLAS Pilipinas hopes for a good run despite the absence of one of its veterans as the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Women’s Championship gets going Tuesday at Malacca Stadium in Malaysia.

The Philippines takes on Singapore at 3 p.m. minus Ewon Arayi, the team’s longest-tenured player who is recuperating at home from dengue.

“There’s pressure, but we’re hoping we’ll do good this year,” said national team coach Patrick Aquino.

Afril Bernardino and Raiza Palmera-Dy, both former UAAP MVPs, head the campaign of the Perlas team that aims for another solid outing after their Level 1 promotion in the Fiba Asia women’s tournament last year.

But Jack Danielle Animam—the National University standout who was last season’s UAAP Rookie of the Year—hopes to provide the needed boost along with recruits Chack Cabinbin, Ara Abaca and Janine Pontejos.

Host Malaysia opens its campaign versus Vietnam in the 8 p.m. main game, right after the 7 p.m. opening ceremony.

Powerhouse Thailand and Indonesia collide in the second game at 5 p.m.