THE INAUGURAL FIBA Esports Open unfurls at the weekend with Team Philippines all set to compete and make waves in.

A pilot project by world basketball-governing body FIBA and its member federations in collaboration with NBA 2K, the FIBA Esports Open 2020 hopes to add further dimension to FIBA as an organization while also affording the basketball community some action after activities were halted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

A series of exhibition e-basketball games, the FIBA Esports Open 2020 will take place from June 19 to 21 and will feature teams from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Cyprus, Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.

For the tournament each team will consist of seven players, five on the court and two reserves. Games will be played remotely on NBA 2K using the Pro-AM mode and allowing full customization of player avatars, uniforms and arena designs.

Carrying the banner for the Philippines in the Esports Open are seasoned e-gamers Aljon “Shintarou” Gruzin (point guard), Rial “Rial” Polog Jr. (shooting guard), Custer “Aguila” Galas (small forward), Rocky “Rak” Brana (center/power forward), Philippe “Izzo” Alcaraz IV (center), Clark “Clark” Banzon (power forward) and Al “Alt” Timajo (center/power forward).

Team coach is Nielie “Nite” Alparas, with Richard Brojan serving as team manager.

“Our participation in the FIBA Esports Open 2020 is an amazing opportunity to show the whole world that Philippine Basketball is a force in any arena that it is played in, digital or otherwise,” said Al Panlilio, President of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

“We are proud to be represented by the best of the best that the country has to offer and have no doubt that Team Pilipinas will show off the intensity, the heart, and the honor that we have when we play this game that we love,” he added.

“It’s a surreal feeling playing with my teammates. We have been grinding it out since Day One and we have a common goal of representing the country and now it’s going to be a reality,” said Rial in the video press conference for the team and the event on Wednesday.

“We are honored and confident to be part of the team. Of course there is some pressure because we are playing for the country,” Izzo, for his part, said.

During the exhibition games, Team Pilipinas will be playing five games head-to-head with Indonesia.

Team Pilipinas matches will be shown over the SBP Facebook page.

The entire FIBA Esports Open 2020 series will be produced from the brand-new FIBA Esports Studio located in Riga, Latvia. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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