Harris, Nolasco lead Philippine participation in BWB Asia 2022

Five Filipinos made the cut for the 12th edition of the Basketball Without Borders Asia Cup, which will take place from August 7-10 at the NBA Global Academy inside the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Representing the country are L.A. John Andres, Jared Bahay, and Caelum Emmanuel Harris for the boys, and Dianne Camille Nolasco and Quinn Kacey Dela Rosa for the girls. Harris and Bahay recently were called up for Gilas Youth duty in the FIBA Asia U16 back in June, with Nolasco receiving a similar call-up as well for Gilas Women, also for the FIBA Asia U16 Women Division B. Nolasco also is an alumna of the Jr. NBA Philippines program.

It is the first time the camp, which is a collaborative effort in global basketball development and community outreach between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), since the 2019 edition in Japan, and the first in Australia since 2016 in Melbourne. Select U-18 boys and girls from the region get the invite and will receive quality knowledge transfer from current and former NBA, WNBA, and FIBA players and coaches, whilst also being pushed by their peers during the camp.

For BWB Asia 2022, NBA All-Star Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers leads the NBA players serving as coaches, with Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns and Coby White of the Chicago Bulls joining camp alumnus (BWB Global 2018), Aussie native and Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green.

Helping out the players are former Opals Kristi Harrower, Annie La Fleur, and Jenni Screen, alongside current NBA assistants Damian Cotter of the Chicago Bulls, David Akinyooye of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Eric Glass of the Miami Heat, as well as Adam Tatalovich, who is both an international scout with the New York Knicks and an assistant with the Serbia men's national team.

Overseeing the camp is World Association of Basketball Coaches president Patrick Hunt, with Dan Shimensky serving as the athletic trainer.

Among the activities taking place during the camp are movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, a three-point contest, five-on-five scrimmages, and just as important, life skills and leadership development sessions. The final day of the event will have an awarding ceremony for outstanding participants both on-court and in showcasing leadership qualities, where the MVP, Defensive MVP, Three-Point Champion, and the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award will be named.

The BWB program includes some of the best international players of the NBA, with 41 out of the 121 players last season being alumni, including this past season's All-Rookie Second Team member Josh Giddey (BWB Asia 2018 and BWB Global 2020, also a NBA Global Academy grad), and former NBA All-Rookie Second Team honoree Rui Hachimura (BWB Global 2016). Over 3,800 players from 133 countries and territories have participated the 64 BWB camps that have taken place since its launch in 2001, with 105 alumni getting a taste of top-flight professional basketball in the NBA and WNBA.

Supporting BWB Asia 2022 is Nike, which serves the official outfitter and footwear provider, and Gatorade, which acts as the program's hydration partner.

Korea, Australia complete FIBA Asia Cup for Women semifinal cast

Sami Whitcomb

After suffering setbacks against fellow title contenders on Wednesday, both Korea and Australia won their respective FIBA Asia Cup for Women quarterfinal matchups on Thursday.

Korea needed a triple from Hyejin Park with a minute remaining to fend off Chinese-Taipei, eventually snapping up a 80-74 victory.

Park would finish with a team-high 22 points on 5/7 shooting from three. Leeseul Kang added three triples on her way to fifteen points.

Chinese-Taipei had managed to remain within striking distance for most of the game, but was unable to move past the multiple-time former champions. Hsiao-Tong Peng led the team with eighteen points.

The other quarterfinal matchup saw Australia defeat New Zealand, 72-61.

New York Liberty sharpshooter Sami Whitcomb sizzled with 29 points on 4/7 from three-point distance. The Opals skipper also made 11/13 free throws, grabbed seven boards, and dished six dimes. Lauren Marie Scherf and Darcee Garbin had thirteen and ten points, respectively.

Charlisse Leger-Walker led the Tall Ferns with seventeen points.

The quarterfinal results also officially complete FIBA-Asia's contingent in the FIBA Women's World Cup, joining fellow Asia Cup semifinalists Japan and China.

Semifinal action is slated Saturday.

Korea, Japan, Australia secure Asia Cup for Women openers

Sami Whitcomb

Title favorites assert themselves in the first set of matches at the FIBA Asia Cup for Women in Amman, on Monday.

The tournament opened with Japan's 136-46 demolition of India, with the Tokyo 2020 silver medalists peppering the Prince Hamza Arena with 24 triples, fourteen of them coming from the trio of Saki Hayashi, Haruno Nemoto, and Monica Okoye.

Okoye would finish with 24 points, while Kiho Miyashita led the defending champions with 27 markers.

Not to be outdone in Group A, Korea also showed out from deep in their 85-69 victory over New Zealand.

Even without their WNBA standout Ji-Su Park, the twelve-time champions rode on Isaem Choi and her game-high 29 points. They also had an all-around performance from Hyejin Park, who racked up twenty points, eleven rebounds, and six assists. The two combined for eleven of the team's thirteen makes from beyond the arc.

Penina Davidson led the Tall Ferns with a double-double of 21 points and eleven rebounds.

Capping off the first set of matches in the Jordanian capital is Australia's 76-65 victory over Chinese-Taipei.

The continental newcomers trailed at the half, 33-34, before a strong third quarter allowed the Opals to take a 53-45 lead.

Fresh from her stint in the WNBA playoffs with the New York Liberty, Sami Whitcomb led the Aussies with thirteen points.

The FIBA World Cup 2019 Draw Procedure

Pot Session.

FIBA on Friday revealed how the World Cup Draw Procedure will take place, the first one involving 32 teams.

To determine the pots, FIBA rankings were used to sort the field, with one exception, as Canada and Iran swapped pots to ensure proper regional distribution of the teams. In addition, hosts China have been allocated a spot in Pot 1, and has been designated to Group A, which is based in Beijing. The LOC has also made the decision to designate the United States, which is also in Pot 1 to Group E, which is based in Shanghai.

The Philippines has been drawn into Pot 6, alongside Canada, Montenegro, and Korea.

The Pots are as follows:

To be drawn into either Group A (Beijing), C (Guangzhou), E (Shanghai), G (Shenzhen):

Pot 1: China, United States, Spain, France (China in Group A. United States in Group E)
Pot 4: Puerto Rico, Turkey, Dominican Republic, Venezuela (Turkey already automatically drawn into Group E as other three nations cannot be in same group as the United States)
Pot 5: Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Iran (Iran cannot be in same group alongside China)
Pot 8: Japan, Jordan, Tunisia, Cote d'Ivoire (Japan and Jordan cannot be in a group alongside Iran or China)

To be drawn into either Group B (Wuhan), D (Foshan), F (Nanjing), H (Dongguan):

Pot 2: Serbia, Argentina, Lithuania, Greece
Pot 3: Russia, Australia, Brazil, Italy (Brazil cannot be in same group alongside Argentina)
Pot 6: Canada, Montenegro, Pilipinas, Korea (Philippines and Korea cannot be in same group alongside Australia)
Pot 7: Nigeria, Senegal, New Zealand, Angola (New Zealand cannot be in same group alongside Australia, Philippines, or Korea)

After determine which group it will be designated to, the draw will also indicate which position it will occupy in the group, in order to determine the order of matches.

In case you have difficutly trying to figure it out, FIBA put this on their Youtube account:



The draw is scheduled later today, with ESPN5 showing the festivities starting at 7pm on TV5.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. and Basketball Australia co-statement

The Basketball Federations of the Philippines and Australia released the following statement, likely the final one before FIBA would reveal its ruling in the aftermath of July 2 incident. 

Following the incident that occurred during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers game between our senior men’s national teams on Monday, July 2, we wish to issue the following statement:

We deeply regret the events that took place during the game. The actions displayed have no place on any basketball court.

We wish to apologize to the entire basketball community worldwide - and in particular to our fantastic fans in the Philippines and Australia - for the behavior displayed by both teams and for bringing the game of basketball into disrepute.

We fully accept our responsibility and are collaborating in the ongoing proceedings to investigate the incidents.

We will do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.

Basketball has a unique power to unite and we look forward to continuing bringing people together in the true spirit of friendship and sportsmanship in future games.

It has been co-signed by their respective heads: Al Panlilio (SBP president) and Ned Coten (Basketball Australia Chairman)

Post-match Statements from Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. and Basketball Australia

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. released their statement on the incident involving the Philippines and Australia in the July 2 FIBA World Cup Qualifier.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) apologizes to Filipino basketball fans and to the basketball community for the incident that occurred during last night’s game. As hosts, we regret having breached the bounds of traditional Filipino hospitality. As the national team representing flag and country, we likewise extend our apologies to the Filipino people.

SBP stands by its conviction that violence has no place in sports.

We will review the incident comprehensively and await the decision of FIBA with respect to disciplinary proceedings on the matter.

The SBP statement is after Basketball Australia released a couple of statements in the aftermath of the incident.

The first came after the game.

Basketball Australia deeply regrets the incident in tonight’s match between the Boomers and the Philippines in Manila. We are extremely disappointed with what happened and our role in it.

“This is not the spirit in which sport should be played and certainly not in the spirit in which we aim to play basketball.

"We apologise to our fans and will await the penalties to be handed down.

The second was done the morning after, as Chief Executive Anthony Moore addressing it publicly, which the federation streamed through its Facebook page.



FIBA has only addressed this matter on a simple tweet.

Following the incident that occured in the third quarter of the Philippines-Australia game on Monday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers, FIBA will now open disciplinary proceedings against both teams. The decision(s) will be communicated in the coming days.

— FIBA media (@FIBA_media) July 2, 2018

SBP statement on Philippine Arena decal removal by Australia

Late last night, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas released this statement in aftermath of what transpired on Sunday. 

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas through its Legal Counsel, Atty. Aga Francisco, conveyed to Fiba during the technical meeting for the Philippines-Australia match on July 1, a very diplomatic but strong message about the UNIRATERAL AND UNCALLED FOR tampering of the stickers on the hardcourt of the Philippine Arena by the Australian team.

During the closed door practice of the Australian National Team from 2:30 to 4:30pm, members of the Australian team forcibly removed the stickers of the game sponsors from the hardcourt of the Philippine Arena WITHOUT FIRST CONFERRING WITH FIBA OR SBP LOC. As it was a closed door practice, no member of Fiba or the Local Organizing Committee was present to prevent the removal of the stickers which permanently damaged the floor of the court.

According to the Australian team, they were concerned about the safety of their players citing a slippery surface.

The Local Organizing Committee through SBP Deputy Executive Director Bernie Atienza acknowledged the right of the visiting team to complain but didn’t have the right to remove anything as all the stickering of the floor has been approved by Fiba. The stickering was approved by Fiba’s branding manager who was present for the placement of the stickers.

Atty. Francisco added that this is no mere small incident but could be “international in nature” as the owners and operators of the Philippine Arena could possibly file a criminal action of malicious damage to property through pre-meditation and in conspiracy with each other.

The Australians through their representatives to the Technical Meeting admitted fault and deeply apologized for the incident. However, Atty. Francisco urged Fiba to act decisively on the incident for fear of “turning this into an UNSAVORY international incident. Fiba should take action in order that the owners will be appeased so they will not file action.”

SBP is awaiting FIBA’s response to the matter.

The decals removed were mainly the ones on the free throw line. The center court ones featuring FIBA sponsor TCL remained on the floor.