PH cagebelles to miss Fiba Asia tournament

MANILA—For failing to make a commitment to compete last year, the country is out of the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship for Women in August despite its status  as Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) women’s titlist.

The team, known as Discovery Perlas, was left out of the draw for the tournament set Aug. 21 to 28 in Omura, Nagasaki, Japan, reported taiwanhoops.com yesterday.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios  confirmed the exclusion of the PH cagebelles from the tournament and said SBP has appealed to Fiba Asia officials to reconsider their decision.

Barrios said the Philippines should have been included in Level 2 where Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore are set to compete.

“We were told that they’re putting us in the wait-list and the only chance we could enter is when a team backs out from the tournament,” said Barrios.

He added that Fiba Asia secretary general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock has promised to prioritize the request during the latter’s visit last week in the Fiba Asia Champions Cup held at the PhilSports Arena.

“We better keep our fingers crossed.”

This year’s Asian championship for women is the qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.

Discovery Perlas captured the 2010 Seaba women’s crown after beating Thailand in the finals held at Ninoy Aquino Stadium last October.

But SBP deputy executive director Bernie Atienza said Discovery Perlas’ victory in the Seaba has no bearing in the Asian championship.

Atienza said inclusion in Level 2 of the women’s championship is on a first-come, first-serve basis, stressing that teams had formally informed Fiba Asia of their participation during the Fiba Asia Congress in Kuala Lumpur last year.