MOA Arena hosts Group E matches

MOA Arena hosts Group E matches | Daily Tribune

Holding a 2-4 record after the first round, Gilas Pilipinas is grouped with Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Syria, and Jordan in Group E. Only the top four teams will advance to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Doha.

SBP executive director Erika Dy said preparations for the hosting are already well underway as they are coordinating closely with key stakeholders to ensure a smooth staging of the qualifiers.

“On the side of the organization, we have already formed our organizing committee for the coming window, and we’ve already been talking to the different entities, like the hotel, the airport, and the local government, in order to organize this window,” Dy said.

With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East affecting several host venues, the Philippines could end up staging eight of Gilas Pilipinas’ 10 second-round games should the MOA Arena continue to serve as a neutral venue.

Still, national team head coach Tim Cone knows the Filipinos’ fate will ultimately hinge on how they perform against their Middle Eastern rivals.

“We’re not going to lose our berth by losing to Australia and New Zealand. The winning that we’re going to have to do is really when we play the Middle Eastern teams, and that’s going to be at the end of the year,” Cone said.

He added that Gilas must continue improving against elite competition after facing stars such as Bryce Cotton, Tyrese Proctor, Jack McVeigh and Mitch Creek.

“We’re going to have to win those games (in the second round). Those are the ones that are really going to get us into the qualifying.”

Meanwhile, the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup will be held at the newly opened SM Seaside Arena.

For SBP president Ricky Vargas, hosting one of Asia’s biggest women’s basketball events is both an honor and an opportunity to showcase the country’s passion for the sport.

“Bringing one of Asia’s premier basketball events to the Philippines reflects the confidence that FIBA has in our ability to organize world-class competitions and in the passion of Filipino basketball fans,” Vargas said.

Dy echoed the sentiment, stressing that hosting the continental championship would strengthen the country’s grassroots development by allowing more young girls to witness high-level international basketball firsthand.

“Our focus has always been on developing a team that can compete consistently at the highest level in Asia and having the tournament on home soil provides a platform for our players to inspire the next generation of Filipina basketball players,” Dy said.