Filipino basketball team to play in Dubai
Ailyn Agonia 
Qatar Tribune, Tuesday, August 20, 2013


TEAM Qatar Falcon of the Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (PIBAQ) will be the special guests in a charity basketball tournament to be held in Al Hudaiba Sports Hall in Dubai, UAE on August 23.

The Doha-based Filipino basketball players, an impressive line up of former players of different professional and collegiate basketball leagues in the Philippines, will be competing against players from Dubai Heat and Abu Dhabi Kings combined in one team.

The one-day basketball friendship invitational game will benefit Aeta (indigenous people) missions of St Michael Parish and Pastoral Council in Zambales and Tarlac regions as well as other indigenous regions in the Philippines such as Bokod in Cordilleras and Benguet day care centres.

It is being organized by the United Pilipinas Basketball League (UPBL) and the Pilipinas Premiere League Events & Management (PPLEM) in Dubai, a groups conceptualized by some expatriate basketball enthusiasts and former players whose common goal is to be able to help less privileged Filipinos back home.

“It is once again proven that Filipino charity is everywhere in the globe and compatriots are always willing to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate in the society regardless of nationality, colour and race. Pibaq has always been ready to extend a helping hand whenever possible. The group will continue to use basketball as an instrument to entertain and to help, “Pat Carido, founder and president of PIBAQ told Qatar Tribune on Monday.

Carido will be heading the Qatar Delegation together with Bombet Vitor, head coach of PIBAQ-Qatar Falcon, and Vergel Limbitco, assistant coach.

He added that Filipinos in Qatar were waiting for the chance to see in action Qatar’s pride in terms of the all-Filipino basketball league.

PIBAQ-Qatar Falcon is the team to beat among the all-Filipino basketball teams across the GCC. At the 4th GCC All-Filipino Club Championship hosted for the first time in Qatar early this year, the team bagged the championship title against teams from Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“We believe that one way of attaining our common goal is to put up an organisation that caters for sports and a sport that caters to our common passion, and that is basketball.

“UPBL’s and PPLEM’s aim is not only to provide the public with top notch basketball action on the court but more so to further develop and enhance sportsmanship, brotherhood, camaraderie, friendship, and unity outside the playing court. ”a statement from event organisers, UPBL, said.