Naismith Trophy set for local tour

Naismith Trophy Tour

The most important basketball trophy is set to make its local rounds.

The Naismith Trophy, which is awarded to the champion of the FIBA World Cup, is set to make its arrival to the Philippines, and will be going around the country before the start of the actual competition, the final phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour Presented by J9.basketball.

Accompanying the Naismith Trophy are a few local FIBA World Cup Ambassadors, complemented with a touch of entertainment acts.

Set to arrive on August 14 in Cebu, the activities in the Queen City of the South commence with the trophy checking out the Mactan Shrine, CCLEX, and Fort San Pedro in the morning. In the afternoon, it will be at SM Seaside Cebu, where Gary David and Jeff Chan will be present, along with the University of Cebu Cheering Team and 2010 Sinulog Idol Grand Winner Jacky Chang performing.

The Naismith Trophy then heads to Davao on the 16th, with stops at the People's Park, the Philippine Eagle Center, and the Malagos Chocolate Museum. On the 18th, it will be at the SM Lanang Premier with David and Jayson Castro. Performing that day are the Madayaw Cheer Revolution Cheetahs, Fusion dance group, and Ralph Angelo Merced.

On August 19, the Naismith Trophy heads to Manila, where it will make the rounds at the three venues of the FIBA World Cup in the country: the Philippine Arena, the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, and the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The next day will feature Larry Fonacier and the other Gilas Ambassadors at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium, with the UP Pep Squad, and Electro Groovers, fresh from their gold-medal winning performance at the World of Dance Junior Championship, are set to perform.

The final stop of the tour will be in Ilocos Norte from August 21-23, where it will be displayed at the EDC Wind Farm, Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, and the Suba Sand Dunes. Alongside the Gilas Ambassadors, the trophy's final mall stop will be Robinsons Place Ilocos Norte, where the Saguday Performing Arts Group and the "Princess Rapper of the North" Faifai Flojo will be performing.

Competition proper begins on August 25 at the Philippine Arena and the SM Mall of Asia Arena, with Angola vs Italy and Pilipinas vs Dominican Republic at the former and Mexico vs Montenegro and Egypt vs Lithuania at the latter.

Tickets are available at the following locations:

For games at the Philippine Arena and SMART-Araneta Coliseum: ticketnet.com.ph. or at ticket outlets located at the Yellow Gate of the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, Fishermall, Eastwood Mall, SM Aura, SM Fairview, SM Makati, SM Manila, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM San Lazaro, SM Southmall, SM Sta Mesa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Marikina, and Robinsons Department Store Galleria.

For games at the SM Mall of Asia Arena: smtickets.com, or at ticket outlets located at the Coral Box Office of SM Mall of Asia Arena, SM Cinemas at SM Aura, Clark, Bacolod, Davao, Baguio, Grand Central, Cebu, Manila, Batangas, Iloilo, Marilao, Megamall, BF, Lanang, North EDSA, Podium, Cagayan de Oro, Sta Rosa, and Southmall; SM Store Business Center outlets at SM Cubao, Mall of Asia, and Makati; and at the SM Skating and Leisure Center at SM Mall of Asia.