The Philippine national women’s basketball team will heading to Taiwan from May 11 to 15 for training as part of their preparations for the Southeast Asian Games.
Wilbert Loa, team manager of the Perlas Pilipinas national team, told InterAksyon.com in an exclusive interview that the team will test itself against some top flight competition during the trip.
“We will have three tuneup games in Taiwan, then we will continue our training all the way to June,” Loa said.
The recently-formed squad will be coached by former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroon Patrick Aquino. He will be joined assisted by his longtime UP teammate Paul Du and former pro Aries Dimaunahan.
The team is composed of Afril Onedo Bernardino, Shelly Anne Gupilan, Analyn Escosio Almazan, Merenciana Rosette Arayi, Fria Albarico Bernardo, Allana May Lim, Maria Beatrice Daez, Roco Cindy Resultay, Sofia Roman, Camille Tudoc Sambile, Danica Jose, and Claire Castro and is supported by Blackwater and Smart Communications.
According to Loa, the team should be formidable enough to medal in the SEA Games.
“This team is composed of several veterans and other crack players from the UAAP. The Mythical Five members of the UAAP are included in this team,” he said.
Aquino added that playing against top women’s teams from Taiwan will be a fitting workout for the squad to gauge where they are at this stage of their preparations.
“It will be beneficial in our preparation for the SEA Games. Taiwan’s women’s teams are some of the best in the world,” the coach said.
Source: interaksyon.com