Phil. Women?s Basketball Team wants to improve on SEA Games Silver finish
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Jul 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- For bringing home the silver medal the last time around in 2011, members and officials of the Philippine women?s basketball team believe they deserve to represent the country anew in the coming 27th Southeast Asian Games this December in Myanmar.
Team manager Cynthia Tiu, who owns the team?s principal sponsor discovery Perlas, is appealing the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission task force to endorse the team for inclusion despite not having been recommended by the Samahang Basketbol Pilipinas, the recognized National Sports Association for the sport.
In a letter addressed to task force head and chef de mission, Col. Jeff Tamayo and an earlier statement made during Friday?s SCOOP Sa Kamayan session, Tiu said she was saddened that ?our own Federation has not endorsed us even if we are in contention for the gold (medal) having won the silver in 2011.?
Ms. Tiu said that the silver medal the Filipinas cornered two years ago in Indonesia could have been, in fact, a gold medal had it not for the controversial call made by game officials in the dying seconds of the game that favored eventual champion Thailand.
In the SCOOP session Ms. Tiu and national coach Haydee Ong as well as several members of the team who appeared as guests, swore that the country?s high ranking sports officials, particularly POC president Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco and and PSC chair Richie Garcia were present during the PH-Thailand finale and saw how the Filipinas were denied of what could have been the Philippines? first SEA Games championship since 1977.
?The POC and the PSC have set the criteria of gold medal winners and/or potential gold medals, then why are we being left out? Ms. Tiu asked. ?Do you think this is fair? Actually, appealing was far from our mind kasi alam naming na qualified kami under the criteria at kung hindi nila kami isama, bahala sila.?
?But we feel, we owe it, not only to the Philippine team members but to the entire women?s basketball community to fight for all the woman players who should be allowed to own up to their dreams and be given the chance to embrace them.?
Team members ? co-captains Ewon Arayi and Joan Grasales, Ish Tiu and Melissa Jacob, who along with their friend, former national volleyball player Myra Balakyot, were attended the SCOOP session, agreed with their team manager and coach.
?Nadaya tayo noong 2011, bayaan na sana nila kaming makabawi,? Aryai said in a sentiment shared by co-teammates present at the SCOOP session.
Both Ms. Tiu and Ms. Ong admitted they are at a loss why the SBP failed to recommend the Filipinas? participation.
?I approached Mr. Barrios (SBP executive director Renauld ?Sonny? Barrios) one time to ask about the team?s status, but he could not give me a definite answer as to whether we are going to Myanmar or not,? Ms. Tiu lamented. ?He just told me the SBP is relying on the POC-PSC criteria.?
?I guess the SBP has just been very busy attending the preparations for the coming FIBA-Asian championship,? she said.
Ong told members of the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines that the nucleus of her team has been playing together the last five years since Ms. Tiu lent her hand in assistance which explained the reason why the Filipinas have not fallen out of the medal standing in all the tournaments they took part in.
?In fact, we gifted the Philippines its first gold medal ever in 30 years, also in 2011 when we ruled that year?s SEABA (Southeast Asian Basketball Association) championship,? Ms. Ong recalled. ?All Philippine women?s teams given the go signal to take part in the SEA Games since 2001 ended up at least with a bronze medal.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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