The 32nd Southeast Asian Games’ 5-on-5 basketball tournament will revert back to the tournament’s old format of splitting the competing nations into pools.
In the draw held on Tuesday morning, Gilas Pilipinas Men will be slotted with Malaysia, Vietnam, and Myanmar in Pool B.
Meanwhile, defending champion Indonesia headlines Pool A along with Thailand, Singapore, and Cambodia.
Last year, the Games in Vietnam had a ‘league’ format which Indonesia topped after going unbeaten in six games — including an 85-81 win over the Chot Reyes-coached Philippines.
It was the first time since the 1991 Kuala Lumpur Games that saw the Philippines take home a medal that was not gold.
This time around, Reyes has admitted that it had been a struggle to have enough bodies attend the Monday sessions of Gilas.
