MVP: Gilas should plan ahead for 2017 pre-qualifying games

Business tycoon and Samahan ng Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Manny V. Pangilinan (Photo taken from Wikipedia.org)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Placing a runner-up in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship giving the Philippine men’s basketball team a spot for the Asian region in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July 2016.

In a report from Mikkel Bolante of Interaksyon.com, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan believes that there is not much to gain from participating from the tournament and the Gilas Pilipinas should be more concerned and look forward to their future.

“My view is that, I’m not saying we will get chosen for the wild card, but frankly my view is that we should opt out of it,” Pangilinan told in an interview with InterAksyon.com.

“And plan further ahead towards 2017 when the pre-qualification games are started to get played for the 2019 World Cup. We should prepare better for that.”

MVP believed that long-term preparation has made China bring back their crown in Asian basketball this year.

MVP said that in 2013, the men’s basketball team of China wasn’t able to make it in the quarters, in which the team made a vast improvement on their play from where it was two years ago. “We should think the same way as they (China) do. Prepare forward,” he said.

Manny Pangilinan also stressed that despite the Philippines’ lost to China, Filipino community should continue to believe in the future of Philippine basketball.

“I don’t think we should lose hope. It’s a sport that Filipinos love so it’s a sport we’ll continue to support. We shouldn’t take this as a complete setback to the program. We should look at the positive aspects of the program and the things that need to be improved,” MVP added.