Umaasa ang Perlas Pilipinas na masusungkit ang kauna-unahang gintong medalya sa women’s basketball sa 2017 Southeast Asian Games sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Determinado ang Perlas bunsod ng katotohanan na ang SEAG title ang kanilang tiket para makalaro sa Asian Games sa Indonesia sa 2018.
Ipinahayag ni Perlas Pilipinas head coach Patrick Aquino kahapon sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum sa Shakey’s, Malate na mataas ang morale at kumpiyansa ng Perlas matapos mapagwagihan ang SEABA Qualifying sa Malacca, Malaysia nitong Setyembre.
“That is what we are preparing right now,” sabi ni Aquino, na dating manlalaro ng University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons. “Hopefully, winning the gold in the 2017 SEA Games will be our ticket to the Asian Games in Indonesia and be the first ever women’s team na maipapadala sa Asian Games,”aniya.
Inihayag ni Aquino na ipapadala ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas ang koponan upang lumahok sa isasagawa na torneo sa New Zealand at Australia na magsisilbing pagsasanay at paghahanda nito bago sumabak sa asam na mapanalunan na 2017 Malaysia SEA Games.
“There are other talks on pocket tournament that will be held before the SEA Games especially now that our benefactor Dioceldy Sy is so close with Malaysia BasketballAassociation president Datu Luwa,” aniya.
Idinagdag pa ni Aquino na binigyan na din ito ng pribilehiyo ng SBP na mas palakasin ang koponan sa pagkuha ng ilang Fil-foreigners at ilang manlalaro na posible nitong isali bilang naturalized player.
“We had a discussion with top SBP officials and they told us gawa kayo ng plans n’yo. Sinabi ko na we want to go to States this December and then go to Japan. Tinanong kami bakit sa Japan and sinabi namin na No.1 na ito sa Asia and it will be good for us to have a training camp there. In the last two FIBA Asia, China hasn’t won over Japan. Also, Korea now has been the top contender,” sabi ni Aquino. (Angie Oredo)