SEAG: Basketball coaches slam temporary court, dunk on the heat

Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gilas Pilipinas in action against Singapore in the 32nd SEA Games. Ariya Kurniawan" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/05/13/05132023-ariya_a-6.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas in action against Singapore in the 32nd SEA Games. Ariya Kurniawan</figcaption></figure></div>PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Basketball coaches at the Southeast Asian Games have complained about the quality of the court, blaming the temporary linoleum surface for injuries to players.The biennial regional sports meet in Phnom Penh is being played mostly at the brand new, China-funded Morodok Techo National Sports Complex.While the site has a 60,000-seat athletics stadium and an aquatics center, it lacks a venue specifically for basketball, one of the region&#x27;s most hotly contested sports.Games have been held in a multipurpose sports hall, with large linoleum tiles put down in lieu of the traditional polished wood.There have also been problems with heat, because of insufficient air conditioning in the room, which is not fully enclosed.And coaches are not happy.&quot;There&#x27;s no way we should be playing top-level international competitions on linoleum,&quot; said Philippines coach Chot Reyes, after his side&#x27;s 105-45 win over Singapore.He added that such tournaments also &quot;should be played in air-conditioned gyms. Because we all know moisture and perspiration... makes it very slippery.&quot;He ran off a list of injured players from his country&#x27;s men&#x27;s and women&#x27;s teams, adding: &quot;The other countries have lost players as well.&quot;The Singapore camp agreed with Reyes&#x27; assessment, saying players had been injured because of the conditions.&quot;For the first two games, each game we got an injury,&quot; said assistant coach Pang Chin Hong.&quot;Singapore women&#x27;s team, one girl it&#x27;s (an injured) meniscus.&quot;&quot;We are quite upset,&quot; he said, showing AFP a video of a women&#x27;s team match in which a full linoleum board briefly flipped up entirely.&quot;It&#x27;s really very dangerous,&quot; he added.Gilas Pilipinas&#x27; win over Singapore guaranteed their place in the semifinals following a shock defeat to Cambodia.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/13/23/gilas-through-to-semis-after-60-point-rout-of-singapore">SEAG: Gilas through to semis after 60-point rout of Singapore</a></li></ul>Philippine teams have traditionally dominated SEA Games basketball, but fell to Indonesia in the final last time out in Hanoi.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Basketball coaches at the SEA Games have complained about the quality of the court, blaming the temporary linoleum surface for injuries to players.

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SEAG: Basketball coaches slam temporary court, dunk on the heat

SEAG: Basketball coaches slam temporary court, dunk on the heat

Agence France-Presse

Published May 13, 2023 06:18 PM PHT

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basketball

SEA Games

SEA Games 2023

Gilas Pilipinas

Chot Reyes

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