FIBA Asia - Mixed reaction from lead players on the format

INCHEON (FIBA Asia Championship for Women) - Some games in the FIBA Asia Championship for Women have no doubt been extremely entertaining. But most others have definitely been lopsided, leading to questions about the format of the Championship. The big guns obviously have no complaints, but it's those nations with developing teams that were looking forward to the Championship "to improve themselves."

S Mageshwaran spoke to representatives of the various teams on their thoughts about the format. Excerpts:

The format is fine: Benjabhoki Suthep, Basketball Association of Thailand
This format is fine. We get a chance to play the top four teams at least once in two years. This gives a good mix for the teams.
A game between equals might be intense, but there's no chance for improvement. The challenge is to play bigger teams and do well.
For teams like us the challenge is to reduce the margin each time we play.
Last time we played, we ran Chinese Taipei very close. These matches are really a learning experience. We have implemented a couple of more development programs, like hiring a foreign coach etc,. Teams should take such measures rather than looking to playing among themselves.
Apart from the top four, I have to say Vietnam have shown some tremendous improvement in this championship.

The challenge is to play bigger teams: Sat Prakash, Head Coach, India
As far as we are concerned, this format is fine. But then you will have to look at teams which are further down. We knew we could top Level II, but then now our challenge is to prepare, perform and remain the elite group. And this has come about only because we have been playing among equals, won in that section and earned to play the bigger teams.
A similar exercise should be undertaken for the lower run teams. I'm not saying this just because we have qualified or beaten the others in Level II, but I really don't think they'll learn anything if they keep losing by such big margins.
Probably, we should look at dividing our teams into another level.

Have another level: Wu Lai Fong, Assistant Coach Hong Kong
I think an additional division in the second rung will be timely, but then we'll have to look at how many countries will play in the third level. There's no point in only two or three teams playing that group. There's no purpose in such an exercise.
As far as the top four are concerned, I think there's a clear demarcation between them and the rest of us. Of course, there's a further division among the rest too. But if there are more teams wanting to play, it'll be worthwhile.

Play among equals: Ajith Kuruppu, Head Coach Sri Lanka
This format gives no chance for a team like ours any scope for learning. We know we are not on par with some teams even in Level II. But then we are eager to improve ourselves. That can happen only if we play more matches among ourselves.
Agreed it's an experience for my girls to play against the bigger teams. But against teams of equal strength we'll play with more intensity. You know, it's difficult to motivate them when they keep losing by such big margins. On most occasions, when we play big teams, the mindset of my girls is 'anyway we are losing this match.' Where as if they play against an equal team, they know they'll have a chance if they play at their best.
But any of these changes should be a part of the Champioship. We can play against our equals and more importantly we can watch and learn from the bigger teams.

More matches among equals: Lyudmila Lebedeva, Assistant coach, Uzbekistan
Of course we want to play more matches among our equals, but then the quest should be to improvement. We should use the matches among ourselves in order to challenge the bigger teams. This is a problem teams like Uzbekistan and India face all the time. We are far better than some teams yet far behind the top four.
It's a Catch 22 situation really. We really don't learn anything much when we play the much lower ranked teams, but we are not ready yet to take on the top teams.

Have more teams: Tan See Wah, Head Coach Malaysia
First of all I don't understand the logic of limiting the teams in the second level. It should go beyond this first-cum-first serve basis. I think the aim should to be have more teams participating, especially those nations which have developing teams.
Then we definitely should look at dividing the teams into another level.
The top four should necessarily play among themselves, on a home and away basis or whatever. There should be a second level where teams like India, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and one or two more Central Asian Republics. The team finishing on top of this group can play off against the fourth team in the top group.
Further more teams like Singapore, Sri Lanka, Macau, Laos, and others can play among themselves in Level III. The top two can play off against the bottom two of Level II.
Only then we achieve any development.

FIBA Asia