Three young Filipino teams traveled to MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the inaugural Filbasket International Championship where they competed against seven other Southeast Asian teams last October.
Shawarma Shack Makabayan Warriors Pilipinas, owned by “Godfather of Shawarma” Walther Uzi Buenavista, teamed up with coach Erick Butler and got a huge boost by former PBA player James Vincent Martinez, second overall pick Maurice Shaw, RJ Deles, Levi Dela Cruz, Marcy Arellano, Andrian Celada, and Ken Acibar.
Under Group B round-robin play, Shawarma Shack Makabayan Warriors tallied one win against two losses. The team received its first victory during its first game against Elang Pacific Caesar of Indonesia, scoring 93-86.
Even though the squad ultimately did not take home the championship, it was a new sign that Philippine basketball is prepared to compete in more international competitions.
Jai Reyes, the founder of Filbasket, discussed how the championship will benefit the Southeast Asian basketball ecosystem.
"The Malaysia tournament is a start for Filbasket to explore the international scene. The main goal is for Filipino players to have the chance to learn and get used to playing in international competitions. At the same time, all South East Asian countries can help each other improve by healthy competition against each other," Reyes said.