SBP executive director Noli Eala bared tryouts for the men’s team bound for the SEA Games in Indonesia in November will go full swing in January to be conducted by head coach Norman Black.

The Philippine-Smart Gilas team, on the other hand, is going back to action also by next month as it gears up for the qualifying tournament in August for the 2012 London Olympics.

At the same time, Eala stressed a possible summit with officials of the team, the SBP group and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to discuss ways of how to further strengthen the team in the light of its sixth place finish in the recent Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

“We’re very bullish about the year 2011. Nakalinya na ang mga programa natin sa SBP,” said Eala as he held court in yesterday’s session of the PSA Forum at Shakey’s U.N. Ave.

First is the formation of the team seeking to retain the gold medal in the SEA Games. A tryouts by invitation will be held by Black together with assistants Glen Capacio, Jamike Jarim and Sandy Arespacochaga, with the team hopefully ready for launching by February.

“We’re putting a whole year game plan for our SEA Games team. It’s an all-collegiate, young men’s team where we will invite the best college players in the country including Junmar Fajardo,” said Eala in the forum presented by Outlast Battery, PAGCOR and Shakey’s.

The SBP is actually looking at a possible sweep of the basketball golds in the SEA Games as hopes are also high on the women’s squad following its recent success in the South East Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) cage tournament which the country hosted.

“One of our priorities, too, next year is our women’s team. After our breakthrough win in the SEABA, our next target is to win the SEA Games gold which we haven’t done,” said Eala.

Journal Online