FIBA includes PHL’s Moral among U-18 Asia Cup players to watch

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Filipino hooper Chog Moral received a huge honor on Aug. 11, 2026, after the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) named him among the players to watch in the upcoming Under-18 Asia Cup tournament.

The tournament, set to kick off today in Ahmedabad, India, will feature Asia’s top young basketball stars from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Syria, Qatar, Lebanon, Iran, India, Thailand, Bahrain, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan.

In an article posted on FIBA’s official website on Aug. 11, 2026, Moral’s name was included alongside eight other rising stars in “Players to watch at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026.”

Moral is coming off a promising stint with Batang Gilas during the SEABA Qualifiers last June, where he showed glimpses of his all-around prowess.

The young stalwart posted impressive statistics during the qualifying tournament, tallying 6.4 points, 6.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game.

However, it was in the championship game against Thailand that the Bacolor, Pampanga, native flaunted his full arsenal, helping the Philippines win gold with 10 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and three steals.

Most impressive about his finals performance was that he finished the game without committing a single turnover, helping fend off the Thais and cap the competition with a perfect 5-0 record.

In FIBA’s article, the staff described Moral as a “legitimate floor general who offered glimpses of his on-court wits during the SEABA Qualifiers.”

Moral first made a name for himself after leading Central Luzon to a silver medal during the 2024 Palarong Pambansa and a bronze medal a year later.

Known for his all-around game on both ends of the floor, Moral received his first big break on the international stage after being selected for the Batang Gilas national team.

Because of his consistent performances in SEABA, Moral made the final cut for the national team’s official roster for the FIBA U-18 Asia Cup.

Aside from Moral, the players who made FIBA’s list were Australia’s Yahya Basaran, Bahrain’s Somto Patrick and Hassan Abdulkadir, China’s Li Junxian, Japan’s Chuson Jack Shiratani, South Korea’s Yoon Jiwon, Lebanon’s Johnny Sawma and Qatar’s Abdulla Mousa.