BASKETBALL in the Southeast Asian Games is still not a settled issue, according to Philippine Olympic Committee representative Go Teng Kok, who is now in the Laotian capital finalizing details with the host organization.

In an overseas telephone conversation with www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Go, at 5 p.m. yesterday, said they were still waiting for a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

“We are still finalizing details of basketball’s inclusion into the Games’ calendar,” said Go, who added that they were having a hard time with the organizing committee head, who apparently doesn’t want basketball in the SEA Games.

“We are still waiting for him to have a meeting,” said Go, who is hopeful that basketball will be included in the Laos SEA Games, which open in mid-December in the capital of Vientiane.

The 2009 SEA Games will involve 25 sports, down from the 43 disciplines featured in the SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said he was still hopeful that basketball will be held.

“The problem was that they had a multi-purpose court for several sports and there was no scoreboard for basketball,” said Romasanta. Ronnie Nathanielsz