Tim Lewis believes any team can be beaten, even Gilas Pilipinas

BANGKOK (SEABA Championship 2017) - Coach Tim Lewis is determined to lead Thai basketball to the top of the SEABA sub-zone, but for that to happen, he knows they will have to upend the Philippines.

That has proven to be next to impossible because, for so long, the Philippines have ruled basketball in the ASEAN region. They have won 7 SEABA Championship titles and 17 gold medals at the SEA Games. If that's not proof of the Filipinos' dominance, then nothing is.

Lewis, however, has faith that even the Philippine aura of invincibility can be shattered, and it may just happen this year.

"On paper, the Philippines is definitely the strongest team, but on any given day, any team can be beaten."Tim LewisTim Lewis

That is among the targets for Thailand not just in the SEABA Championship, but in 2017, where, should they fall short in this tournament, they will still have another crack when the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur commence. For coach Lewis, though, handling the Thai national team is not just about notching wins or making history. At the heart of it all is changing Thai basketball for the better and ensuring its growth well into the future.

"We are trying to build a culture here," he explained. "Our approach and preparation for every game, every team is important, and we believe there is no such thing as an easy team or game."

That gung-ho mindset is surely something Thailand will need when they dive into the action tomorrow at the opening of the SEABA Championship 2017, where they are counted among the title contenders. Coach Lewis is aware of the weight of expectations on his crew, but he is just hoping they will be able to survive the grueling gauntlet of six games in seven nights.

"All the players just came out of the TBSL season, so conditioning is not too bad," he shared. "But six games straight is enough to test even the best of teams!"

Already, a number of key Thai players did not make the final roster for various reasons. Some Thai-Americans whom fans hoped they'd see in Manila had to attend to other concerns and had to fix their documentation papers.

"Unfortunately, with babies being expected, injuries and long seasons, a few players were not available for us," coach Lewis lamented.

Aside from a relative dearth of the best that Thai basketball can offer, coach Lewis finds it far from ideal that his squad did not receive as much preparation time as he wanted. This is, however, a reality most if not all national teams face, and he knows that his guys just have to roll with the punches and press forward.

"Like all teams here, preparation has been limited, and chemistry may not be where they would like it," he said. "There are just so many parameters that can affect how all the teams play."

There is no doubt that Thailand will be a pretty strong squad in the SEABA Championship, what with star players like Chitchai Ananti, Kannut Samerjai and Wutipong Dasom among the list, but coach Lewis is taking a big picture approach at this whole exercise. For him, there is a long-term objective for Thai hoops, and that is more important than any short-term goal within their reach.

"We look at the big picture - developing the correct culture within Thai basketball from the youth up to the senior men," he expounded. "It is important to identify a style of play that provides us with the opportunity to compete at the highest level, creating a talent program that helps us to find and develop tall, long and athletic players."

Lewis is happy that basketball has been steadily gaining a strong, loyal following in Thailand, and he is grateful for the formation of the TBSL, which has helped spur unprecedented interest in the sport. He knows, however, that this is but one step in the long journey for Thai hoops to be recognized among the elite in SEABA and, hopefully, seen as an exemplar of sport development in the Asian context.

Because of this, coach Lewis hopes that even more opportunities will sprout to more constantly and deeply expose the best Thai players to highly competitive atmospheres. He knows that this is the most straightforward way to continue the brisk growth of basketball in their country.

"We need to develop professional leagues where Thai players can play and compete at a very high level and create a year round player development program focused on positional skills, especially for young big players and shooters!" he exclaimed.

That can all get a boost if Thailand impresses in the SEABA Championship 2017, more so if they produce a minor miracle and pull the rug from under heavily favored Philippines.

FIBA