NAKATAKDANG simulan ng Pilipinas ang kampanya sa kauna-unahang FIBA Esports Open kontra Indonesia Biyernes ng gabi.
Ganap na 6:25 ng gabi ang tapatan ng dalawang koponan na mapapanood sa pamamagitan ng livestream sa Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Facebook page at FIBA YouTube channel.
Isa ang Pilipinas sa 17 mga bansa na lalahok sa inaugural esports competition na gaganapin ngayong weekend.
Kahit online ang laban, inaasahang magiging mahigpit ang kompetisyon lalo't hindi kailangan ang lakas at height.
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"You don't need brawn or height, you only need to play smart to excel here," pahayag ni SBP executive director Sonny Barrios.
Inaasahan ding makakatulong ito sa esports sector lalo na sa mga panahong ito na tinatawag na "new normal."
"We all recognize that esports is a growing passion point of Filipinos and we all wanted to be driving it forward in charting the course for the industry," sambit ni Esports National Association of the Philippines (ESNAP) president Jane Basas.
"With this exciting partnership with SBP and Fiba, we're once again at the forefront giving our esports athletes, this time in basketball, an opportunity to shine in the global stage," aniya.
Pangungunahan ang E-Gilas Pilipinas nina 8-time ProAm champion Aljon "Shintarou" Cruzin, 2-time NBA2K Asia champion Rial "Rial" Polog Jr., 2017 NBA2K Asia champion Custer "Aguila" Galas, APAC NBA2K20 Global Championship representative Clark Banzon at 2018 NBA2K Asia champion Philippe "Izzo" Herrero IV. Kasama rin nila sa team sina reserves David John "Alt" Timajo at Rocky "Rak" Brana, coach Nielie "Nite" Alparas at team manager Richard Brojan. MARIVIC AWITAN
