Huge crowds expected for FIBA Olympic qualifier in Manila

MIES, Switzerland – Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Sonny Barrios said he expects an overflowing crowd for the 5 playing days of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be held at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena from July 5 to 10. (READ: Philippines named one of 2016 FIBA OQT host countries)

To make the games accessible to a wider audience, there are plans for closed-circuit coverage in movie theaters across the country, plus giant screens in town plazas and open parking lots.

Barrios will attend the draw for the 3 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in this Swiss city, near Geneva, at the FIBA House of Basketball. (LIVE: 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament draw)

FIBA split the 18 participating countries into 6 “pots” of 3 each where those in a pot would not be drawn to play in the same tournament.

France, Serbia, and Greece were in the first pot. Italy, Czech Republic, and Canada were in the second. The Philippines, Iran, and Japan were in the third. Angola, Tunisia, and Senegal were in the fourth. Latvia, Croatia, and Turkey were in the fifth. Mexico, Puerto Rico, and New Zealand were in the sixth.

It was explained that the countries were picked for a pot on the basis of geographical and competitive balance. (WATCH: How will teams be drawn for the FIBA Olympic qualifier?)

Barrios said the Philippines will join 5 others in the Olympic qualifier in Manila.

The 6 teams will be split into two brackets of 3 each. Groupmates play each other once in the preliminaries and the top two placers advance to the knockout semifinals with the survivors disputing the ticket to Rio.

The preliminary games will be held on July 5, 6, and 7. There will be a break on July 8, then the two semifinal games will be played on July 9. The final will be on July 10. 

“We admit our chances of winning the tournament are slim but you can’t discount the factor of our Sixth Man,” said Barrios.

“At the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, we saw how our team was inspired by the home crowd.  For the first time in FIBA history, we witnessed the wave. No one was surprised when at the FIBA World Cup in 2014, the Philippines was named the country with the Most Valuable Fans.” 

The Philippines hasn’t participated in basketball at the Olympics since 1972. To make it to Rio, the country must top the Olympic Qualifying Tournament it will host. 

“It’s the first time we’re hosting an Olympic Qualifying Tournament,” said Barrios. “We played in an Olympic qualifier in 1964 in Yokohoma but we didn’t make it to Tokyo.  Now, we’re hosting and it will make a big difference.” – Rappler.com