With less than 40 days to go until the 2017 SEABA Seniors and U-16 Championships, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is working non-stop to ensure the security and comfort of the participating athletes, according to SBP deputy director for international affairs Butch Antonio.
“We are not strangers to this. As a matter of fact, FIBA, FIBA Asia, and SEABA are pretty much confident when it come to the Philippines hosting,” Antonio told Tiebreaker Times.
But unlike the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2017 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, this event is technically two tournaments running at the same time and in the same venue. The U-16 Championship will have five competing teams and is scheduled from May 14 to 18. The Seniors Championship, on the other hand, will have seven nations competing from May 12 to 18.
With this task, Antonio assured all things are being taken care off by the SBP.
“The SBP has been busy logistically and talking to all concerned from hotels, to venue, to transportation, security, to traffic, just to make sure that our hosting is successful,” he cited.
Moreover, the SBP wants to make this tournament an experience the country’s foreign guests will never forget.
“Tayo naman, just as I said before, do not like to take things for granted. We want to host well. It’s not just a matter of reserving a place, booking a hotel, and having food,” Antonio pointed out.
“As Filipinos, it is what makes us different from the others.”
