By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense basketball coach Tata Belangel bannered the Philippine delegation that participated in the International Basketball University’s (IBU) coaching and basketball training in Lithuania.

Belangel said their group was invited for a five-day basketball and coaching clinic, five-day competitive basketball with a select group, and to watch an Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.

“Actually, this is the second year that we are invited by IBU,” Belangel told Watchmen Daily Journal.

“Last year, we attended the IBU’s basketball coaching clinic in Taiwan, and we were able to experience the preparation games of Lithuania, Latvia and Puerto Rico,” he said.

“This time, we were once again invited, and we will have a chance to watch the Olympic qualifier game between Lithuania and Slovenia, which will be a good opportunity and experience for us,” he added.

Belangel currently works as an assistant coach for the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod basketball team and an active consultant for Iloilo Scholastic Academy.

Also part of the delegation is Tata’s older brother, Sammy Belangel of Ateneo de Manila University, University of Visayas Green Lancers assistant coach Raymon Mercader, and Notre Dame Sultan Kudarat head coach Ever Asuncion.

Two Bacolod-based players, namely Luis Recaredo Tamayo IV of University of St. La Salle and Paul Henry II Peñaflorida of La Consolacion College, are also invited to the camp.

“Actually, Raymon [who serves as the country coordinator of IBU] sent [invitations] to several coaches in the Philippines, but only a few of us accepted [them],” Tata said.

“This is a good learning experience for us,” he said.

“For the two Bacolod City-based players, this will be a good opportunity for them to further hone their skills further and learn from those experienced coaches in IBU,” he added./ASC, WDJ