Solid shots for MVP Group in SEA Games

Unlike in the China World Cup campaign, there’s the big promise of a strong showing for the Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team in the Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting.

This should also be the case in boxing, after the Alliance of Boxing Associations in the Philippines (Abap) produced a solid silver medal winner in the World Championships.

Boxing and basketball, not necessarily in that order, are two of the major disciplines being supported by the powerful MVP Group of Companies led by tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan.

For basketball, new Gilas coach Tim Cone has cautioned against superiority and overconfidence in the SEA Games basketball championship which the country has been dominating.

“It won’t be a slam dunk,” cried Cone, pointing to vast improvements in the sport by both Thailand and Indonesia.

Cone said the two countries are ready to field in quality reinforcements with the goal of dislodging the Philippines as SEA Games basketball king.

In boxing, the silver medal won by Eumir Marcial in the Aiba Men’s Elite Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia, more or less showed how prepared Filipino boxers would be for the SEA Games.

There’s perennial powerhouse Thailand which, like the Philippines, won two gold medals in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand sent a total of four fighters in the Russia World series, where it returned without a single medal.

“Thailand failed to score there,” noted Ed Picson, executive director Abap.

“Everything is on schedule, and hopefully our boxers will also hit peak on schedule,” Picson said. “Yes, the Thais are the ones to watch.”

“Hometown advantage is good, but Thailand has a vibrant program, backed by solid government funding, upwards of $2 million a year, not counting private sector support,” Picson added.

While boxing appears eager to aim for a stronger international showing, it can be said the Gilas Pilipinas is in the process of picking up the pieces after the China World Cup where the Philippines wound up down the bottom.

Part of the Gilas restructuring could include the naming of younger talents from the national pool, like seven-foot teenager Kai Sotto, in the Philippine cage squad for the SEA Games.

Cone has acknowledged his appointment as Gilas coach is a stopgap move; but it goes without saying he would be ready to take a full-time assignment for Gilas in bigger international tests.

It’s all up to national basketball leaders with the SBP and the MVP conglomerate.