HANOI (SEABA Championship 2017) - Coach Donte Hill knows Vietnam are underdogs at the SEABA Championship, but his team have bigger goals than just gaining wins.

Vietnamese are not known be traditionally good in basketball, but coach Hill is slowly working to change that. With the advent of the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA), an influx of talented foreign-born players of Vietnamese descent, and more constant exposure to international competition, Vietnam are looking to improve their standing in the ASEAN region. Coach Hill hopes they will see significant signs of progress at the SEABA Championship 2017 in Manila, though getting one or two wins would be realistic targets already for what is one of the youngest squads in the entire tournament.

Coach Hill sat down with FIBA.com to share his thoughts on his team's chances and the future of Vietnamese basketball.

Vietnam are playing in the SEABA Championship 2017. How do you like your chances of doing well?
Even with limited practice time, we are hoping to compete and give our best efforts. This is a great chance to give some players valuable playing experience representing Vietnam basketball internationally.

How has Vietnam basketball evolved or changed these past few years?
I believe the VBA having its first year has helped evolve basketball a lot. So many amazing coaches from different backgrounds have learned a lot, and the competition has helped grow Vietnam basketball.

A couple of Vietnamese teams are playing internationally — Saigon Heat and Hanoi Buffaloes — how do you view this development?
Basketball is an international game. The best way to grow the game of basketball is to compete internationally. It's important that players understand the efforts and commitment levels of other countries. Vietnam having teams that are competing in this capacity is great for the game of basketball to grow.

How is the local league in Vietnam, and how is it helping the level of competition improve in the country?
The VBA is making basketball stronger each and everyday. It's bringing players from other countries back to play in their homeland. Having a foreigner import to compete against each day is also great exposure for the local players. The VBA is definitely a major success for the growth of basketball in Vietnam. For example, in Danang there are now a lot of kids playing basketball more because of the Dragons' success. More people playing basketball across the country is a great thing for more talent to evolve.

What is your earnest wish and plan for Vietnam basketball in general moving forward?
My wish is that the game grows and the national recognition of basketball grows, so it is more competitive in international play. Getting Vietnam to be able to compete for a medal in the Olympics one day would be an amazing accomplishment.

What would be the team's main target or goal this year (SEABA and SEA Games) and what are your chances to achieve this?
The goal is to gain experience and represent the country with class. We are looking to build a legacy for the future and give our best efforts to compete nonstop.

FIBA