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NCAA teams compete with 8 others in Malaysia-hosted AsiaBasket tourney

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ABS-CBN News

Two NCAA teams will duke it out with eight others as the Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship begins on Easter Sunday at the Malaysia Basketball Association (MABA) Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.The San Bed Red Lions and the College of St. Benilde Blazers will join eight other clubs teams in the summer international tournament organized by Filbasket led by President Jai Reyes, Head of League Operations Dino Lee, and Head of Media Patrick Edrozo (Hoopjunkie).Other participating Pinoy teams include Shawarma Shack Pilipinas, which is bringing in 3x3 stars Ken Bono and Mike Harry Nzeusseu, and Th3rd Floor-KalosPHCooly, which signed up 6-foot9 Ladis Lepalam and actor Gerald Anderson.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/02/22/pinoy-veterans-hope-filbasket-stint-opens-doors">Pinoy hoop veterans hoping for offers after Filbasket Malaysia stint</a></li></ul>Sanzar Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, has brought in three former NCAA players in Shaq Alanes, Jeremiah Taladua, and 6-foot-10 Cameroonian center Hamadou Laminou. Another team bringing in a solid roster is the MFT Fruitmasters, who have former San Beda star Francis Abarcar, grizzled veterans Migs Castellano, Edzel Mag-isa, and Marlon Monte, and 6’9”center San Ma Kong from Hong Kong.Each team has been allowed to sign one ASEAN heritage import, and two World Imports.Headlining the Malaysian teams for the AsiaBasket event is the Malaysian national team led by Ting Chun Hong.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/06/23/asiabasket-to-hold-malaysia-tourney-in-april">AsiaBasket to hold Malaysia tourney in April</a></li></ul>Yong Kian Ann has been listed as the Harimau&#x27;s head coach as Jeff Viernes, who coached the Malaysian squad during the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers last November, is now back as a player in the MPBL for the Sarangani Marlins.Harimau Malaysia will be using the AsiaBasket event as part of its preparations for the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia next month.MBC Kirin will be parading Thai player Wutipong Dasom and American import William Vedder Freeman.The last Malaysian team in the field is KL Aseel, which is bringing in NCAA champion Louie Sangalang from the Letran Knights, and American player Jalen Robinson to backstop the squad.Filipino mentor Kristoffer Reyes will coach KL Aseel for the AsiaBasket tournament.The Sportsclick Asia Basket International Championship begins with a doubleheader on Easter Sunday with Sanzar battling Shawarma Shack in the first game at 5 p.m. and MBC taking on The Th3rd Floor in the nightcap at 7 p.m.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/05/23/tnt-exec-insists-tropang-giga-not-underdogs-in-finals">PBA: TNT exec insists Tropang GIGA not underdogs in Finals</a></li></ul>CSB will then debut in the tournament on Tuesday, opening a quadruple-header at 2 p.m. against Sanzar even as the other five teams also open their campaigns on the said day: BGC versus San Beda at 4 p.m., Harimau Malaysia against MFT at 6 p.m., and KL debuting against MBC Kirin at 8 p.m.The top two teams per group after the round robin phase will clash in the crossover semis on April 16 with the winners going to the April 18 final.A consolation game for third place will be first played on April 18 between the two losing semifinalists before the championship game.

Two NCAA teams will duke it out with 8 others as the AsiaBasket International Championship begins on Easter Sunday at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.