MANILA – The Gilas 3×3 basketball team is on a wait and see mode after the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) were rescheduled due to the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In an advisory on April 1, the OQTs for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will occur after the 3×3 World Tour, which is tentatively scheduled in August and October.
“The (FIBA) Central Board announced that it will continue its discussions with the International Olympic Committee in order to find the best solution for the scheduling of the remaining Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (including two for 3×3),” FIBA said in a statement.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players Jaymar Perez and Moala Tautuaa teamed up with Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol to form the Philippine 3×3 team. Serbian Stefan Stojanic serves as the head coach while Darko Krsman works as the squad’s conditioning coach.
Perez and Tautuaa were with the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 team that won the inaugural gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games with fellow PBA players Chris Newsome and Jason Perkins.
The participation of the Philippine team in one of the two 3×3 qualifiers was originally set to tip off in Bengaluru, India last March 18 to 22.
Gilas is still slotted in Pool C with Slovenia, France, Qatar and Dominican Republic. The OQT only has three available tickets to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“FIBA will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation on a daily basis and evaluate the options for the lifting of the suspension of competitions when the situation allows for it,” the statement added.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics – biggest sporting event in the world affected by the virus – was already moved to July 23 to August 8 next year./PN
