A TRULY representative Philippine national basketball team is coming to Sydney for game series early next year, possibly in the first quarter of 2013.
”It will be the first time that a legit Philippine national team will play a series of games in Australia against local sides,” said Basketball NSW chief executive Daniel Martinez in a press conference last month at Dooleys Club in Lidcombe NSW.
”No more makeshift teams representing themselves as Philippine national or full-strength professional basketball sides. We are arranging for full-strength Philippine teams to come.”
Mr. Martinez returned recently from a business trip to Manila to meet with officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Basketball Association, and the Philippine Basketball League.
Talks between Mr. Martinez and Philippine sports officials were comprehensive and included an exchange program in which Philippine basketball players will be individually assessed technically by advanced new Australian methods.
A firm tour schedule of the first Philippine basketball team tour of Australia will be announced by Mr Martinez late December of early January.