DOHA: Some of the best Filipino basketball teams in the GCC will converge in Doha to compete for the first PIDC-GCC Invitational Championship Cup which will be held at Al Attiya Arena on June 16 and 17.
Revealing details of the event, Pat Carido, Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (Pibaq) President and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Head, said the tournament will witness the participation of prestigious Filipino ball clubs from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Gulf-wide Filipino basketball tourney is supported by Doha League which will be one the highlights of 118th Philippine Independence Day celebration of the Filipino community in Qatar next month.
“We will ensure that we will hold a truly professional league that will strictly follow the SBP rules,” Carido said, while speaking at the opening of the 2016 Ambassador’s Cup/Ooredoo of Pibaq recently at Al Gharafa Training Gym.
The Cup serves as the league’s preparation to the bigger tournament next month, he said at the opening event which saw a spectacular display of colours by different teams and attended by bigwigs in the Filipino community.
The opening ceremony was attended by Philippine Ambassador Wilfredo C Santos who led the ceremonial ball toss. Ed Anami, president of United Filipino Organizations in Qatar (UFOQ) and Antonio Valdez Cruz, protocol and board affairs head of Ooredoo, the tournament’s host were among those present at the event.
The opening game proved to be highly-competitive as Pampanga (Alicafe) escaped a narrow two-point victory, 78-76, over Ilocos (Windmills).
Carido said the new format will not only be highly-competitive but a proud sporting battle among regional team representation back home and enlivening the glorious past of the hardcourt stars who are now in their 40s and above.
Three divisions will be competing in the season including Inter Region Division, Aspirants and the Seniors Division.
The 2016 Ambassador’s Cup is fully supported by Qatar Basketball Federation with the Philippine Embassy and UFOQ. It is presented by Alicafe with Diana Jewellery & Watches as major sponsors and Power Horse Energy Drink, Boracay Filipino Restaurant and Control P- Advertising as minor sponsors.
The Peninsula
