GILAS Pilipinas workhorse Scottie Thompson is back training, the coveted Naismith Trophy named after the inventor of basketball goes on tour starting on Tuesday and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 launched its global creative campaign “Nothing Else Matters.”
All that as the FIBA 2023 World Cup the Philippines is lead hosting starts in 10 days with Thompson, possibly, and Gilas Pilipinas taking on the Dominican Republic at The Philippine Arena in Bulacan on August 25.
“Everything looks good with Scottie [Thompson] as he returned to practice last Sunday,” the men’s national team therapist Dexter Aseron told BusinessMirror on Monday. “It’s earlier than expected…it’s the doctor’s timeline on his healing.”
Thompson was sidelined for almost a month because of a right hand injury he incurred during Gilas’s training camp in Lithuania last month.
Aseron said that the 6-foot-2 Most Valuable Player of the Philippine Basketball Association showed up in practice and did shooting and contact drills initiated by head coach Chot Reyes and his deputies Tim Cone and Jong Uichico.
“He’s cleared to join 5-on-5 already,” the strength and conditioning coach said. “After a week, I believe his shooting form will be back just in time.”
Tim Cone said his top ward at Barangay Ginebra looked good in practice.
“He practiced fully without restrictions last night [Sunday],” Cone said.
Filipino fans all over the country, meanwhile, will get the chance to view international basketball’s biggest prize, the Naismith Trophy, that will be on tour in Cebu, Davao, Manila and Ilocos Norte.
The event, dubbed the FIBA 2023 World Cup Trophy Tour Presented by J9.basketball, will also allow fans to interact with former Gilas Pilipinas players who are ambassadors for the event.
The Naismith Trophy—named after James Naismith, who invented basketball, will arrive Tuesday in Cebu and the tour Wednesday includes the Mactan Shrine, CCLEX and Fort San Pedro.
In the afternoon, the Naismith Trophy will be in full display at the SM Seaside with ex-Gilas Gary David and Jeff Chan gracing the occasion.
Special performances from the University of Cebu Cheering Team and 2010 Sinulog Idol Grand Winner Jacky Chang will also entertain local fans.
Next up will be at the Davao City People’s Park, Philippine Eagle Center and Malagos Chocolate Museum.
The Davao stop will be capped with a celebration at the SM Lanang Premier on Friday with David and two-time Asia’s Best Point Guard Jayson Castro.
Performing in Davao are the Madayaw Cheer Revolution Cheetahs, the dance group Fusion and Ralph Angelo Merced.
Manila will be the next stop on August 19 where the Naismith Trophy will tour the Philippine Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Larry Fonacier and other Gilas ambassadors will be joining the event at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium on Sunday where the multi-awarded University of the Philippines Pep Squad and the gold medalists from the recently concluded World of Dance Junior Championship Electro Groovers will be performing.
Ilocos Norte will be the last stop at the EDC Wind Farm, Kapurpurawan Rock Formation and Suba Sand Dunes from August 21 to 23.
Robinsons Place Ilocos Norte will be the venue for the mall event on August 23, where Gilas ambassadors will again accompany the Naismith Trophy, with performances from the Saguday Performing Arts Group and “Princess Rapper of the North” Faifai Flojo.
The “Nothing Else Matters” campaign, on the other hand, features a selection of players showing the broad cross-section of talent at the World Cup.
It is headlined by global superstar Luka Dončić, China’s anchor Zhou Qi and two host countries’ heroes—Philippines’ ace Jordan Clarkson and Japan’s leader Yuta Watanabe.
The original creative, developed in-house, merges the personal off-season hobbies of the players with their unique on-court talents in a manner that is sure to delight fans.
Also on Tuesday, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio Local Organizing Committee officials will discuss the homestretch preparations for the World Cup in a special Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Meralco Conference Hall of the Meralco Building along Ortigas Avenue.
Joining Panlilio in the Forum are SBP executive director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, LOC deputy event director Erika Dy, joint management committee head John Lucas and Cignal TV president Jane Basas.
The FIBA World Cup games will kick off on August 25 with Angola taking on Italy followed by Gilas Pilipinas facing off with the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena and Mexico taking on Montenegro and Egypt battling Lithuania at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Fans will be able to witness opening day games at the Philippine Arena and succeeding games at the Smart Araneta Coliseum by availing themselves of tickets via ticketnet.com.ph. or at ticket outlets located at the Yellow Gate of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Fishermall, Eastwood Mall, SM Aura, SM Fairview, SM Makati, SM Manila, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM San Lazaro, SM Southmall, SM Sta Mesa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Marikina and Robinsons Department Store Galleria.
Tickets for games at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, on the other hand, are on sale at smtickets.com. or at ticket outlets located at the Coral Box Office of SM Mall of Asia Arena, SM Cinemas at SM Aura, Clark, Bacolod, Davao, Baguio, Grand Central, Cebu, Manila, Batangas, Iloilo, Marilao, Megamall, BF, Lanang, North EDSA, Podium, Cagayan de Oro, Sta Rosa, and Southmall; SM Store Business Center outlets at SM Cubao, Mall of Asia, and Makati; and at the SM Skating and Leisure Center at SM Mall of Asia.