FOUR games featuring UAAP and NCAA teams will be held later this month as the country begins its simulation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup hosting.
Two games each are going to be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena simultaneously on June 27 and 28 as part of the test event for the staging of basketball’s most prestigious event.
READ: Carl Tamayo begs off from Gilas consideration
Broadcast coverage and transportation system will likewise be simulated on both days to see how far preparations for the August 25 to Sept. 10 meet have gone.
“On June 27 and 28, we’ll actually have our test event where we will hold games following the Fiba time which is 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Smart Araneta and 4:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia. So simultaneous mangyayari ang mga laro,” said deputy event director Erika Dy.
“This means nakalatag na lahat ng plano. It’s just all about execution.”
The games will be free to the public.
The former Ateneo player and coach was at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday where he was joined by Management Committee head John Lucas, media committee head Virgil Villavicencio, and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann.
The Philippines first hosted the World Cup in 1978, but will now co-host the event together with Japan and Indonesia
The entire playoffs though, is set at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Opening day will be a doubleheader at the Philippine Arena pitting Gilas Pilipinas against Dominican Republic in the main game and Italy versus Angola in the curtain raiser.
The formal opening ceremony will be held in between games.
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