Pilipinas Warriors clash with Indonesia

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand — The men’s 3x3 basketball team kicks off the Philippines medal quest when it faces Indonesia on Monday at the start of the 13th ASEAN Para Games.

Team captain Kenneth Tapia feels that with the right mix of veterans and young guns, the squad — dubbed Pilipinas Warriors — has what it takes to bag the gold medal.

Host Thailand is the event’s defending champion.

Game is set for 11:30 a.m. (Manila time) at Terminal 21 Korat.

“For me, this campaign is special because we have players who we consider as the future of wheelchair basketball. Not just for the ASEAN Para Games but also for other international competitions,” Tapia said.

“I think our strength is that all of us are hungry to win since we haven’t won a gold medal.”

The Philippines suffered back-to-back heartbreaks to Thailand, settling to silver-medal finishes in 2022 in Surakatra, Indonesia and in the 2023 edition in Phnom Penh.

Head coach Vernon Perea said getting the medal will depend on how well they can adapt in-between games.

“We are always hoping but no matter how hard we train. It will all boil down to the breaks of the game, how fit we are and how sharp we are during the game,” Perea said.