By WAYLON GALVEZ
The national esport team for basketball is ready to play in the inaugural FIBA Esports Open 2020 from June 19 to 21 produced by the brand new FIBA Esports Studio in Riga, Latvia.
Ryan Gregorio, special assistant of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, said yesterday that he expects the team to do well due to the talent level of the Filipino gamers.
“In terms of getting ready for that particular situation where we can be again relevant, ready na ang Pilipinas. Sigurado ako na lalaban tayo,” said Gregorio, a former PBA champion mentor.
“This is another thing that FIBA is really pushing, and we are part of the 17 participating teams,” he added.
The seven-man national team is composed of Rocky “Rak” Braña, Clark Banzon, Philippe “Izzo” Alcaraz IV, Al “Alt” Timajo, Aljon “Shintarou” Cruzin, Rial Polog Jr., and Custer “Aguila” Galas.
“We based our selection from the players’ credentials and achievements, both in local and in international tournaments. The team is comprised of individuals who have won the NBA2K Asian Championships from 2016-2019,” said Gregorio.
“These players were also the players invited by the NBA 2KLEAGUE to the APAC Invitational two years in a row. The APAC invitational is a testing ground for the region where 2KLeague scouts and coaches identify the best players from that region to join the NBA 2KLeague draft,” he added.
Other countries in the tournament are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Cyprus, Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, New Zealand, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
Each team consists of seven players with five on the court and two reserves. Games will be played remotely on NBA2K using the Pro-Am mode and allowing full customization of player avatars, uniforms, and arena designs.
Like the regular actual 5-on-5 match, the games will be livestreamed on FIBA’s Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube channels with live commentary.
The first ever Esports Open, in collaboration with the NBA 2K, is part of the federation’s initiatives with an objective to enlarge the FIBA family, and comes at a time when actual competitions are still barred in various countries due to the coronavirus pandemic.