The 2017 SEABA Championship will be important. Despite what many may say about it being a relatively easy competition for Gilas Pilipinas to dominate, the fact of the matter is that our national team must finish no less than champion to qualify for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut, Lebanon and, consequently, book a seat in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers.
This is why, in spite of our obvious advantage in both depth and size, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the PBA have seen it fit to gather nothing but out very best. A glance at the lineup making up Gilas Pilipinas for the SEABA joust is sure to raise eyebrows. Overkill? Perhaps, but one can never be too sure in a game like basketball. And with stakes so high, all it takes is one false step, one bad day, one terrible shooting game to quash all our dreams. There is no such thing as overkill when no less than the title will do.
And with that, let us take a look at the six teams who will take turns trying to put a dent in the plans of Gilas Pilipinas.
MYANMAR (May 12)
Gilas opens their campaign with the tournament's lightest opponent, and it shouldn't be a surprise if they beat Myanmar black and blue. Myanmar is the youngest and most inexperienced team in the bunch, given this is their first time to join the SEABA meet. Their tallest player is just 6'5, and the difference in skill is so stark that our boys may just win this by triple-digits if they wanted to. Without a doubt, this will be a one-sided affair.
SINGAPORE (May 13)
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Singapore has been very competitive at the ASEAN level for the past few years, and that shouldn't change here. Their experience in the ABL has really benefitted many of the veterans on this roster, most specifically guys like Wong Weilong, Hanbin Ng, Leon Kwek, and promising center Delvin Goh. Wong, Hanbin, and Leon have shown great shooting skills in the past, and they're not afraid to mix it up against bigger and stronger foes. Ditto with Goh, who has improved by leaps and bounds compared to years ago. I don't think these guys are good enough to beat Gilas, but on a good day, they can give our PBA stars some fits.
MALAYSIA (May 14)
Gilas's third opponent will be traditional ASEAN power Malaysia, the last team to beat the Philippines at the SEABA Championship way back in 1996. Much of this team should be familiar to some Filipino fans because they've seen action for Blu Detergent in the PBA D-League, but much of the focus will be on Choo Wei Hong, Teo Kok Hou, and Ting Chun Hong, their three ABL veterans. It's a pity they don't have their full complement of stars here because they would have competed for a podium spot, but with their current lineup and without head coach Chris Thomas, the Malaysians will be hard-pressed to be among the top 3 teams.
THAILAND (May 16)
Gilas goes on a one-day break after playing Malaysia, and then they plunge head first against dangerous Thailand on May 16. Truth be told, the Thais are still significant underdogs compared to Gilas, but the fact of the matter is they have the most local talent in this competition outside of our team. I love the balance and depth of this team in terms of having solid players at every position. Head coach Tim Lewis has been waiting for this tournament for quite some time, and I'm sure he'll pull out all the stops to give Gilas a good run for their money. This matchup has the potential to be the tightest and most exciting in our national team's schedule.
VIETNAM (May 17)
Vietnam won't be able to beat Gilas this year, but with the way the sport is being grown and promoted in their country, we shouldn't be surprised if they gradually improve over the next handful of years. Having a new and thriving professional league and being constantly exposed to higher levels of competition in the ABL and TBSL will all contribute to the development of Vietnamese hoops, and I am excited to see where they are headed. It's unfortunate that key players Tam Dinh and Horace Nguyen — both half-Americans — pulled out of the SEABA tourney, which means head coach Donte Hill will have to make do with less talent on his squad.
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INDONESIA (May 18)
This can be a blowout or it can be too close for comfort. If the Indon-American dynamic duo of Mario Wuysang and Arki Wisnu was hot and naturalized player Jamarr Johnson proves to be a tough cookie in the paint, anything can happen. As of now, though, remember that Indonesia is playing with just 10 men as vital cogs Adhi Pritama and Ponsianus Indrawan have mysteriously been absent from their practices and didn't fly with the team to Manila. Overall, this team has great balance and depth, and if they enter the final day unscathed, I wouldn't be shocked if coach Wahyu Widayat Jati unloads everything they have on Gilas Pilipinas in the hopes of a titan-sized upset.
