With professional basketball halted due to coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) came up with an innovation via its first-ever international esports competition, the FIBA Esports Open 2020.
The tournament which will have top players from the all over the world battling on the virtual hardcourt for basketball supremacy will be slated on June 19 – 21 and will be streamed LIVE on FIBA and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Facebook pages.
Following the announcement, the Philippines, through the SBP, was quick to reveal its representatives in the historic event.
Team Pilipinas – country’s best professional National Basketball Association (NBA) 2K players who have been dominating the Asian 2K scene for years – will represent the country in the global competition.
“Our participation in the FIBA Esports Open 2020 is an amazing opportunity to show the whole world that Philippine Basketball is a force in any arena that it is played in, digital or otherwise.” SBP president Al Panlilio said.
“We are proud to be represented by the best of the best that the country has to offer and have no doubt that Team Pilipinas will show off the intensity, the heart and the honor that we have when we play this game that we love,” he added.
Bannering Team Pilipinas are Aljon Cruzin aka Shintarou; two-time NBA 2K Asia Champion Rial Polog Jr. aka Rial; NBA 2K17 Asia champion Custer Galas aka Aguila; NBA 2K18 Asia Champion Philippe Alcaraz Herrero IV aka Izzo; Clark Banzon aka Clark; and reserves David John Timajo aka Alt and Rocky Braña aka Rak. The country’s representatives are coached by Nite Alparas.
“I believe Team Pilipinas is a dream team, and I’m just humbled that I’m part of this because I have been playing this game almost half of my life” said Herrero IV, Team Pilipinas captain.
“With exceptional mechanics, good teamwork and amazing teammates under my leadership, we can make it to the top. I’m just happy and excited to represent our country and make the Filipinos proud,” he added.
In the tournament, Team Pilipinas will be playing five games head-to-head with Indonesia from June 19-21, 2020. The games will be played on NBA 2K’s Pro-AM game mode wherein each player controls a single character/position on the court. It’s just like a real-life basketball game. A good showing there ensures that the Philippines makes its mark as one of the true powerhouses of NBA 2K in the Southeast Asia region.
“Our Team Pilipinas is on the cusp of something great here,” said SBP director of operations Butch Antonio. “The great thing about competing in the virtual realm of esports is that there’s no size mismatch and no height difference, there’s only the dedication and drive to win–something that our sportsmen have always had in spades.”/PN
