UAE to hold basketball league for expats

Dubai, UAE – Seventeen countries from around the world will participate in the inaugural Dubai Expat Basketball League (DEBL), a major cagefest organized by Filipinos and Emiratis for expatriates living and working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The League, duly sanctioned by the UAE Basketball Federation, will start in January 2011. Games will be played every Friday at the Al Nasr Sport Club in Oud Metha, Dubai. The tournament will follow FIBA rules and will have FIBA-accredited referees officiating the games. Those who confirmed their participation are teams from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania, Serbia, Syria and USA. “UAE is home to almost 100 nationalities; its population is 80 percent expatriates. We will give them quality basketball entertainment and at the same time promote camaraderie and encourage healthy competition through sports," said New Generation Sports Events & Marketing chairman Abdulla Faisal Al Dossari. A Serbian player who has been living in Dubai for the past 10 years openly welcomed the idea of having a basketball tournament for expats. Philippine team coach Jhun Paule is confident that Filipinos will shine in this international basketball league. “Some members of our team previously played in professional teams and collegiate varsity squads back in the Philippines. They will carry the country’s flag and will show to our competitors that basketball is in our blood," said Paule. Team Kenya manager George Juma said that they will give the bigger squads from Serbia, USA and Europe tough competition on the hard court. Filipino organizer Edwin Deang said big prizes are at stake in the tournament. The champion team will get AED 25,000 (P300,000) and a trophy; first runner-up – AED 15,000 (P180,000) plus trophy and second runner-up – AED 10,000 (P120,000) and trophy. The DEBL will also have an All-Star Weekend where a three-point shootout and slam-dunk contests will be held. – KY, JVP, GMANews.TV