24th FIBA-Asia Championship [Jul 28-Aug 5 Japan]

[macky]

Well thats not the case since every team is allowed 1 naturalized player , 1 player isnt gonna make that much of a difference btw Lebanon(2nd) was much better than Korea(4th) in 2005 (im not counting qatar who are 3rd cuz they have 12 africans) so even if we remove vogel i think they will would,ve stayed 2nd..............btw Lebanon now is much weaker than 2005 the same players almost but the selection of players for the coach really sux i hope we dont play RP cuz this is the most game that the coach doesnt know which players to insert....we can easily have a rebounding advantage by slowing the game down and putting our tall lineup with vogel,beshara and roy 2gether but this coach puts combinations of ali m and rony and balaa on PF and plays beshara on PF instead of SF....so im really speechless about this..........btw RP won kuwait by 16 and 35......are kuwait really weak ?? do they pose a threat for lebanon ?? i hear they are really short i hope the coach doesnt put ali mahmoud(182) on center and rony(183) on PF cuz the shorter the opponent the shorter the lineup he puts on the court ..........

i think what the coach is doing, is shuffling his players and trying to come up with the best combinations on the floor. and trying to see what will work in tokushima. for me, the best combinaton for lebanon is: vogel at center, beshara at pf, fadi at sf, fahed at sg, and ali at pg. even without el khatib playing, lebanon can easily beat kuwait. it would be better for him to seat down that game and have a rest, fadi is such a work horse for lebanon. the only really question is who will top that group... will it be japan or lebanon? besides having the home court advantage, japan is a very quick team and loaded with shooters. it will be a tough fight against japan for sure. good luck lebanese brothers, hope to see a good and clean game in tokushima.

[daniab]

Also U-20 of Lebanon can beat Kuwait

Lebanon U19 won Senior Bahrain NT from 4 years in King Abdallah Tournament

[macky]

Lebanon U19 won Senior Bahrain NT from 4 years in King Abdallah Tournament

bahrain NT is weak. kuwait NT is likely more or less the same level as indonesian NT, i think even indonesian NT can beat kuwait.

[macky]

Ha Seung Jin
South Korea NT 7'3"


Jaber Rouzbahani
IR Iran NT 7'3"

E. Hadadi of IR Iran
7 foot somethin, I forgot

if there is a player taller than 7'3", kindly add to this list

i think his 7'2".

[daniab]

bahrain NT is weak. kuwait NT is likely more or less the same level as indonesian NT, i think even indonesian NT can beat kuwait.

No man kuwait is much better than indonesia.
Kuwait in 2005 lost against S.korea by 5 pts.

[macky]

How will Asi, Mick and Eric held these trees of Iran if they're on the same floor ( hadadi and jaber <--- twin towers )

i've seen that guy jaber play, and seriously...not impressed he's just tall with a wing span of an 8 footer. he's not that quick. well, it can be a problem but it would give more the Philippines an advantage on speed. i just hope kelly, menk, and yap show their true potential. this three will be the key for Philippines.

[macky]

No man kuwait is much better than indonesia.
Kuwait in 2005 lost against S.korea by 5 pts.

i remember reading a post of a fellow forumer... don't know if it's true, kuwait loss to a ball club here in the Philippines compose of a retired pba star and an actor, i forgot what the name of that ball club is. with that, i don't think why the lebanese brothers worries too much with the kuwait NT, no offense for the kuwaitis. Next to RP team, i'm a fan of lebanon NT also. lebanon can beat kuwait easily.

[daniab]

i remember reading a post of a fellow forumer... don't know if it's true, kuwait loss to a ball club here in the Philippines compose of a retired pba star and an actor, i forgot what the name of that ball club is. with that, i don't think why the lebanese brothers worries too much with the kuwait NT, no offense for the kuwaitis. Next to RP team, i'm a fan of lebanon NT also. lebanon can beat kuwait easily.

Last game btw lebanon vs Kuwait is finished to lebanon by 40 pts in king abdallah .

[macky]

Last game btw lebanon vs Kuwait is finished to lebanon by 40 pts in king abdallah .

the only game that i think would give lebanon a good deal of resistance is with the home team. japan did'nt send their NT in the recently concluded jones cup. they're maybe hiding their team, for them not to be scouted.

[interxavierxxx]

hope I can have some lebanese food while watching the FIBA Asia Championships hehehe there's no way I'm eating Pandesal during the game. I rather eat Shawarma with Mountain Dew. What about you guys? What food are u planning to bring along? For me, I'll have lebanese shawarma... they are the best here in Qatar.

[macky]

hope I can have some lebanese food while watching the FIBA Asia Championships hehehe there's no way I'm eating Pandesal during the game. I rather eat Shawarma with Mountain Dew. What about you guys? What food are u planning to bring along? For me, I'll have lebanese shawarma... they are the best here in Qatar.

i'll bring balot and a bottle of redbull...could loose some energy due to excitement, better bring some back-ups

[karim]

hope I can have some lebanese food while watching the FIBA Asia Championships hehehe there's no way I'm eating Pandesal during the game. I rather eat Shawarma with Mountain Dew. What about you guys? What food are u planning to bring along? For me, I'll have lebanese shawarma... they are the best here in Qatar.

give me the adress to ur house friendly pinoy brother and i,ll be happy to get u a dozen sandwiches of shawarma chicken and shawarma meat and a couple plates of tabbouli and hommos with some baklewa for desert.....btw we played against a team in philippines called smthng kings and we beat them 111-76 , kuwait lost to that team by 5.......so i think theres no fear there as long as we scout the opponent and respect them before the game , same for UAE..............

[warren99]

Norwood cleared to play, gets passport
By Nelson Beltran
Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The SMC-RP quintet got a big morale-boost two days before its departure for Tokushima, Japan as Gabe Norwood finally obtained a Philippine passport yesterday, giving the talented Fil-Am cager the clearance to play with the Nationals in the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifier from July 28-Aug. 5.
In this regard, PBA operations chief Rickie Santos said the league has made representations with the Japanese embassy to expedite Norwood’s visa application so that the player can join the RP team in its departure tomorrow afternoon.
Norwood, a key figure in the Philippines’ bid for a spot in the 2008 Olympics in China, acquired the clearance from the Department of Justice yesterday morning and immediately applied for a passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
His papers will be forwarded to the Japanese embassy for the visa processing this morning.
Another Fil-Am player, Kelly Williams, was issued his own RP passport Friday.
Thus, national coach Chot Reyes now has a full-roster of 15 players raring to go to war in Tokushima. Danny Seigle and James Yap have earlier gotten a clean bill of health for the Japan joust.
Reyes has said he would name his final 12 during the team managers’ meeting in Japan Friday. The final 12 could well be Norwood, Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, James Yap, Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle, Kerby Raymundo, Eric Menk, Mick Pennisi and Asi Taulava.
The squad, after a grueling five-month preparation, will bid to become the first RP team to make it to the Olympics since the 1974 Munich Games. Reyes has promised they would hit their target or die trying.
Reyes and his boys need to win the tourney or finish second behind China to realize their dream of playing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
But the task in Tokushima appears to be daunting with the Philippines up against formidable foes China, Jordan and Iran right in the elimination round. The Nationals need to finish first or second in the elims to gain a berth in the quarterfinals.
The Nationals are holding two more morning practices before leaving for Tokushima tomorrow afternoon.
“We’re just going through the final stages of our preparation, a little fine-tuning,” said Reyes.
The players are not allowing the suspense to get the better of their expectations.
"It's an exciting time for us as players, the coaching staff, the PBA, and especially the Philippines," said point guard Jimmy Alapag of the Talk N Text Phone Pals.
"We got a great opportunity. Hopefully, we'll reap the fruits of our labor in the last four, five months. We're just excited to get to Japan."
"The team is looking good. We just need to sharpen up just a little bit before our first game," said Asi Taulava of the Phone Pals.
"After winning the Manila Invitational, it feels good. Malaking kumpiyansa bago kami pumunta ng Japan," said Mark Caguioa of the Barangay Ginebra Kings, adding the enormity of their task hasn't hit him yet.
"Hindi ko rin kasi iniisip. Mape-pressure ka lang lalo e. You're representing the country so that's already a big pressure for you, so I'm not really thinking too much about that."
San Miguel's Danny Seigle, who rejoined his teammates during the Kuwait tuneup games after missing three weeks of training due to a pulled hamstring and an ankle sprain, said his injuries are healing fast.
"It feels pretty good and it no longer bothers me that much," said Seigle, who sat out the Busan Asian Games in 2002 because of a torn Achilles tendon. "Of course I have to work off a little bit of rust, but I'll be prepared mentally and physically come game time."
Even the recent additions, Eric Menk of Ginebra, the Realtors' Williams, and James Yap of Purefoods, have put behind their individual ambitions to be part of the overall effort to send a Philippine team back to the Olympic Games basketball competition after 35 years.
"Of course, everyone would like to know as soon as we can, but we understand that it's kinda out of our hands," said Menk.
"What's best for the team is what's best for our chances. We just have to be patient."
"Regardless of what happens, we're gonna work as hard as we can, all 15 of us, up to the last day," said Williams. "We're all on the same page. It's not an individual effort but a team effort where everyone will put in 120 percent for the team."
"Lahat naman dito deserving. Maraming player ang gusto masama rito at ngayong napili kami, achievement na rin ito," said Yap. "Kahit di ako makuha, okey lang dahil na-experience mo rin naman yung praktis ng RP team. Wala naman talagang mawawala sa'yo. Pag nanalo yung RP team, para na rin sa'ting lahat 'yon."

[warren99]

Nike believes in Team Pilipinas


NIKE Philippines launched limited edition “Believer” T-shirts to support the RP basketball team that will leave for Tokushima, Japan next week to compete in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship, a qualifying tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Team Pilipinas, composed of the country’s finest players, finished third in the 11th Jones Cup held in Chinese Taipei early this month. After that, the Nationals won the 4-nation Manila Invitationals.
Despite being bracketed in the “Group of Death” with China, Iran and Jordan in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship, head coach Chot Reyes remains optimistic.
“This team and this country have come too far to be denied the chance to bring home an Olympic medal. We will go to Beijing or we will die trying!” said Reyes.
“Let us all take pride in Team Pilipinas and believe in our basketball heroes!” added Nike Philippines country marketing manager Melissa Crucillo.
The Nike Tee, available at Nike retail outlets nationwide, bears the word “Believer” in front, and an image of Team Pilipinas at the back.

[Grr_tiger]

4 DAYS TO GO BAKBAKAN NA!!


TEAM PILIPINAS needs your prayers.