Tickets to the ninth Bahrain-Philippines Goodwill Basketball Games 2019 are now being sold, organisers confirmed today.
The event is scheduled to take place on January 3 and 4 at Zain Basketball Arena in Um Al Hassam, and it will feature the visiting Rain or Shine Elasto Painters from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
The Goodwill Games are being held under the patronage of Bahrain Basketball Association (BBA) President Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.
They are being organised by The Hooperz Sport Events and members of the Filipino community, in cooperation with the BBA.
The Elasto Painters are scheduled to play two exhibition games – the first will be against national champions Manama Club on the evening of January 3, to be followed the next night by a game against perennial contenders Muharraq Club.
Both games are scheduled to tip off at 7.30pm.
Cost
General admission tickets cost BD3 per day. They are now available at the following locations: BonChon-Juffair Mall, Bahay Kubo, Shaflout, Tia Betty, Kimpura, Extra Broasted, Extra Coffee or at Kristine’s, or from FCBG (Rodel). More locations will be announced soon.
For VIP tickets at BD5 apiece, call 34414926 or 33934798.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters joined the PBA professional league in 2006.
They have won two championships in their history, including the 2012 PBA Governors’ Cup and the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
They are coached by veteran Filipino tactician Caloy Garcia, who is also currently an assistant with the Philippine national team. They will be spearheaded on the hardwood by the likes of star players James Yap and Beau Belga, to name a couple.
The first-ever Goodwill Games was held in July of 2003, when it was known as the Bahrain-Philippines Basketball Friendship Tournament. Next month’s event will be the second time the Elasto Painters are participating.
They were also the headlining team in the eighth edition of Goodwill Games held in 2015. Then, they played against Nuwaidrat Club and Bahrain’s senior men’s national team.