According to Viet Nam News, Vietnam's local newspaper, Vietnam will not send its men's and women's basketball team in the coming Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Per report, the top Vietnam sport officials have agreed that they will not give financial assistance since their chance of winning a medal is not that probable.
According to Viet Nam News, Vietnam's local newspaper, Vietnam will not send its men's and women's basketball team in the coming Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Per report, the top Vietnam sport officials have agreed that they will not give financial assistance since their chance of winning a medal is not that probable.
Head of Vietnamese Games' delegation Hoang Vinh Giang said athletes who had little chance of winning a medal would not receive official funding.
He said he regretted the fact of shortage of funding but said priority had to be given to the country's best athletes that have a greater chance of winning the gold medal.
Vietnam National Basketball Championship to allow foreign players
Foreign basketball players have been allowed to compete in the second round of the National Basketball Championship kicking off in the southern coastal province of Binh Thuan.
The Vietnam Basketball Federation made the decision to help teams strengthen their squads competing in the championship this year by recruiting foreign players.
Foreign basketball players have been allowed to compete in the second round of the National Basketball Championship kicking off in the southern coastal province of Binh Thuan.
The Vietnam Basketball Federation made the decision to help teams strengthen their squads competing in the championship this year by recruiting foreign players.
According to the organising committee, seven foreign players from the Philippines, China and Mongolia will compete in the jerseys of Can Tho, HCM City and Joton for the second round.
The Vietnam Basketball Federation (VBF) general secretary, Nguyen Quoc Quan, said teams can now sign up to four foreign players and assign them on court at any given time.
"Contracting foreign players will make the league more attractive because they will create better competition between domestic and foreign players. Vietnamese players will also learn from the skills and experiences of imported basketballers." Quan said.
"The federation has an open policy that allows all teams to recruit more top foreign players at any time during the championship. The federation intends to increase the quality of the sport in Vietnam through the policy," he added.
Last year, the number of foreign basketballers was limited to the national championship.
However, the general secretary also warned that all teams have to find good quality players for their squads and find the right balance between foreign and local players.
Last year, the Mekong Delta team Soc Trang won the championship with local stars including trio Na Ri and Trieu Khanh, Minh Luyen.
"Meanwhile, HCM City, who recruited a foreign coach last year, will have Allan Evangelista (191-F) of the Philippines in their team, which they hope to avenge Soc Trang at the championship this year.
The annual nationwide championship will have eight men and four women's teams competing in a round-robin tournament over two rounds for the title.
Basketball has not yet developed as a professional sport like football or volleyball in Vietnam. Vietnam's national amateurs are sixth in the Southeast Asia region and have not attracted sponsors to fund the future development of the sport. Only HCM City, Soc Trang and Air Defence and Air Force have training centres for national squad players.
Vietnam national team hopes to do well in SEA Games
Three years ago, Vietnam decided it needed to improve its antiquated basketball program. And they chose a Filipino to do it.
Ricky Magallanes, who apprenticed as an assistant coach with the RP-Cebuana Lhuillier team and a former member of the coaching staff of multi-titled Spring Cooking Oil, was selected to lead the change.
Three years ago, Vietnam decided it needed to improve its antiquated basketball program. And they chose a Filipino to do it.
Ricky Magallanes, who apprenticed as an assistant coach with the RP-Cebuana Lhuillier team and a former member of the coaching staff of multi-titled Spring Cooking Oil, was selected to lead the change. He flew to Vietnam in April of 2005 as the head coach of the junior national team. Within six months, he was handed the reigns of the men's team, as well.
This year, Magallanes is again set to handle the Vietnamese national team to the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Thailand this December.
“When you say basketball in Vietnam, it's really nothing, because they're a football country,” Magallanes explains. “They don't have a feeder program, and all their players were even older than I was.”
For Filipinos, it's hard to imagine a country that doesn't love or even play basketball. But the former assistant coach of De La Salle Greenhills had to work from the bottom up. Not only did he have to start recruiting younger players and deal with the inter-city politics between Saigon and Hanoi (the main source of players and funding), he needed to impart the scientific knowledge which is practically second nature to Filipinos.
“Their skill level was so low, they were like children. I had to teach the basics, or else they would never improve,” coach Ricky recalls. “They have many coaches there, but they don't know how to teach. And they don't know how to explain why we have to do those things.”
Last year, Ricky tested his team by bringing them in the Philippines. After having difficulty against a strong high school team, they proceeded to lose all their games to second-tier colleges and smaller schools. But Ricky was undaunted. On this trip, his team has started winning games against teams that used to beat them easily. This despite a lineup that barely has any players over six feet tall.
“Vietnam has really small people, smaller than Filipinos,” he elaborated. “They try to work so hard, I'm really so proud of them, because we've improved our shooting, our dribbling, our passing skills. We really paid attention to those.”
“We really like him, because he is a good guy, very funny. He knows how to make the game more fun, more better,” says Vietnam national team forward Nguyen Thien, at 26 now the oldest member of the team. “Right now, we're feeling we're better in shooting. We've learned a lot from our experiences in the Philippines.”
After so many scrimmages and a few token tournaments, Ricky will face his first major test: the Southeast Asian Games in December. His goals remain modest, though. With Brunei a non-factor (Vietnam demolished them by more than 50 points), coach Ricky is setting his sights on Singapore.
“My bosses say that they would be happy if we win just one game, but of course, I can't allow that,” Ricky declares. “I feel so special, because they really respect the Filipinos, and as a basketball coach, because they really follow my system. They want to adopt the Philippine style of basketball.”
Women's team win one game at Asian under-18 championship
The Vietnamese women's basketball team won at the Asian under-18 championship in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 27, reported the Sports Daily.
The newspaper said Vietnamese team beat Sri Lanka. This was the first victory of Vietnamese basketball in an Asian contest in ten years, which help them finish fifth out of seven team in Group B.
The Vietnamese women's basketball team won at the Asian under-18 championship in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 27, reported the Sports Daily. The newspaper said Vietnamese team beat Sri Lanka. This was the first victory of Vietnamese basketball in an Asian contest in ten years, which help them finish fifth out of seven team in Group B.
They lost to Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.
After the team return home on February 6, some players from Soc Trang will train with the naitonal team.
Jared Jeffries (208-C-81, college: Indiana), who just finished the season with the Washington Wizards in the NBA after an overtime defeat against Cleveland, is planning to visit Vietnam during the summer. His dad Tom Jeffries, a Vietnam War-Veteran is going to show his son some places where he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force during the war.
Jared Jeffries (208-C-81, college: Indiana), who just finished the season with the Washington Wizards in the NBA after an overtime defeat against Cleveland, is planning to visit Vietnam during the summer. His dad Tom Jeffries, a Vietnam War-Veteran is going to show his son some places where he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force during the war.
A YOUNG and energetic coach from the Philippines has recently been chosen by the Basketball Association of Vietnam (ABV) to handle their program for the coming years. Coach Ricky P. Magallanes will be leaving for Hanoi this April 1 to begin a long-term program to develop the sport in the Southeast Asian country.
A YOUNG and energetic coach from the Philippines has recently been chosen by the Basketball Association of Vietnam (ABV) to handle their program for the coming years.Coach Ricky P. Magallaneswill be leaving for Hanoi this April 1 to begin a long-term program to develop the sport in the Southeast Asian country.
Coach Magallanes will be initially tasked to handle the Vietnamese Young Men’s and Junior Men’s Teams.He will also undertake an extensive grassroots program wherein he will search for talents in the countryside while conducting basketball clinics.Coach Magallanes will also be an assistant coach on the Men’s team to a still to be named American mentor.Helping the Women’s teams is also on his tasks list.
“This is a big challenge for me,” said Coach Magallanes.“I hope to impart what I have learned from the good coaches I got the chance to work with here in the Philippines.”
His experience handling teams ranging from the elementary to the semi-pro level will serve him well. At the time of his appointment, Coach Magallanes was in charge of the grade school teams in La Salle-Greenhills and an assistant coach with the STI College Olympians of the NAASCU and the Quezon Coco Huskers of the United Regional Basketball League (URBL).Before that, he was a varsity star at the University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City and played commercial hoops in Cebu City. It was during his stint as a practice player with PBA club San Miguel Beer that he was influenced to give coaching a try.
ABV officials sought help from their counterparts at the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) in hiring a coach.Philippine national coach David D. Zamar of the Men’s team recommended Coach Magallanes for the post.
Coach Magallanes proceeded to thank his previous coaches that he served as a player or as an assistant coach like Ron Jacobs, Joseph F. Uichico, Norman Black, Francis C. Rodriguez, Bobby Parks, Rico Perez, Ricky Dandan and Victor O. Ycasiano.
“I will be back in Manila for the Southeast Asian Games this November,” said Coach Magallanes as a parting shot.
Basketball in the National Phu Dong Sports Festival
The Vietnam Basketball Federation has announced that basketball will be an official event at the sixth National Phu Dong Sports Festival. Actually fourteen men’s basketball teams and 14 women’s squads from schools across the country have registered to complete in the event. The basketball matches will begin on the festival’s opening day, July 25, 2004.
The Vietnam Basketball Federation has announced that basketball will be an official event at the sixth National Phu Dong Sports Festival. Actually fourteen men’s basketball teams and 14 women’s squads from schools across the country have registered to complete in the event. The basketball matches will begin on the festival’s opening day, July 25, 2004.
Vietnam to take part in the Queen's Cup in Hong Kong
The Vietnamese National Committee for Sports and Physical Training announced that a Vietnamese men’s basketball team from Ho Chi Minh City will attend the Basketball Queen’s Cup representing Vietnam. The event is taking place in Hong Kong from July 20 to 25, 2004.
The Vietnamese National Committee for Sports and Physical Training announced that a Vietnamese men’s basketball team from Ho Chi Minh City will attend the Basketball Queen’s Cup representing Vietnam. The event is taking place in Hong Kong from July 20 to 25, 2004.
Association de Basketball Vietnam
36 Tran Phu Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel.: +84 (4) 7472065
Fax.: +84 (4) 7471981
E-Mail: ngotrananhminh@yahoo.com
President: Mr. Le Quang Thung
Secretary General: Mr. Nguyen Quor Quan
