BACOLOD City – Negrense basketball coach Tata Belangel will spearhead the Philippine delegation that was invited by the International Basketball University (IBU) for coaching and basketball training in Lithuania.
According to Belangel, he and his group are invited for a five-day basketball and coaching clinic, five-day competitive basketball with a select group, and to watch an Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.
“Actually, this is the second year that we are invited by IBU,” Belangel said. “Last year, we attended the IBU’s basketball coaching clinic in Taiwan and we were able to experience the preparation games of Lithuania, Latvia, and Puerto Rico.”
“This time, we were once again invited and we will have a chance to watch the Olympic qualifier game between Lithuania and Slovenia, which will be a good opportunity and experience for us,” he added.
Belangel is currently working as an assistant coach for the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod basketball team and at the same time as an active consultant for the Iloilo Scholastic Academy.
Also part of the delegation is Tata’s older brother, Sammy Belangel of Ateneo de Manila University, University of Visayas Green Lancers assistant coach Raymon Mercader, and Notre Dame Sultan Kudarat head coach Ever Asuncion.
Two Bacolod-based players, namely Luis Recaredo Tamayo IV of University of St. La Salle and Paul Henry II Peñaflorida of La Consolacion College, are also invited in the camp.
“Actually, Raymon (who serve as the country coordinator of IBU) sent invites to several coaches in the Philippines, but only a few of us accepted the invite,” Tata said. “This is a good learning experience for us.”
“For the two Bacolod City-based players, this will be a good opportunity for them to further hone their skills further and learn from those experienced coaches in IBU,” he added.
Tata said that the events will start on June 14 and will commence on the 26th. They will return back to the country two days later./PN
