A STATE-OF-THE-ART venue could be the key for the Philippines to land the hosting rights of the 2013 International Basketball Federation (Fiba)-Asia Men’s Championship.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Sonny Barrios said he is optimistic of the country’s chances to bag the hosting rights of the tournament with the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena projected to be the venue of the competition.

Barrios returned from a meeting with Fiba Asia Secretary-General Hagop Khajirian in Kuala Lumpur where he discussed the matter.

“Mr. Khajirian is hopeful with our bid because he heard so much about our new MOA Arena and he wants to visit the place,” said Barrios.

“We at the SBP are also hopeful and I think we have a strong chance to bag the hosting rights. Mr. [Manny] Pangilinan [SBP president] is leaving no stone unturned and he personally instructed me to make the offer more attractive,” he added.

The MOA Arena, owned by mall magnate Henry Sy, officially opened on June 16. It has a 16,000 seating capacity and could accommodate as much as 20,000 people.

Already, basketball leagues in the country like the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are eyeing the ultra-modern arena to be the venue of their games.

The MOA Arena will be the home of the coming UAAP season with National University, the Sy-owned school, as hosts.

Barrios said the Fiba-Asia hosting committee will meet in September in Japan to determine the host of the 2013 Men’s Championships, the qualifying tournament for the 2014 Fiba World Cup, formerly the World Championships, in Spain.

Aside from the Philippines, other countries that are also bidding to host the event are Qatar, Iran and Lebanon.

The Smart Gilas program was extended because of the 2013 Fiba Asia Men’s Championship as Pangilinan wants the country to make a return in the world competition after missing the target in the 2012 London Games.

Head coach Chot Reyes was tasked to achieve this goal. The last time the Filipinos played in the Worlds was in 1978 when the country hosted the event and finished eighth.