Agreeing finally send a team to the 2018 Asian Games is the easy part. “‹
The hard work now is to make it competitive.
After announcing last week that it is pulling out from the quadrennial games, the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas had another change of heart as it announced yesterday it is finally sending a squad to the Jakarta games following mounting pressure from fans and the basketball community.
Apparently, the Olympic Council of Asia and the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee want a Philippine team to the games, too.
“They (OCA and INAGOC) have responded and they are allowing us to participate. They want us there and we will go there. Our inclusion has now been approved,” said Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas during a hastily-called press conference at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday before Game 5 of the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup Finals between San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra.
“The country is happier simply because we are sending a team. That is more important than winning a medal. Gusto lang namin sila makita na naglalalaro, not only to play but do their best and show the heart of a Filipino,” added Vargas, who is also Chairman of the PBA.
The Philippines is sticking to its plan of sending the core of the Rain or Shine team, with NLEX mentor Yeng Guiao calling the shots, to be assisted by Elasto Painters’ coach Caloy Garcia.
The Painters’ nucleus of Maverick Ahanmisi, Chris Tiu, Gabe Norwood, James Yap, Beau Belga and Raymund Almazan, will now be reinforced by GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle, Magnolia’s Paul Lee, Blackwater’s Poy Erram, Talk ‘N Text’s Don Trillano, San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger, NLEX’s Asi Taulava and Gilas Pilipinas Cadets Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero.
Only two from this list will be stricken off to comply with the required 12-man roster.
The Philippines is in Group B with Iran, Syria, and United Arab Emirates in the preliminaries of the men’s basketball tournament, slated from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2.
“Maikli na ‘yung oras and with what happened the last two weeks, lalu pa umikli ang oras natin para maghanda,” said Guiao. “That is also the reason why we are sending the core of Rain or Shine because they are already familiar with me and I’m familiar with them. There are five or six other guys coming from the outside and we will try to gel these players this week or so.”
“We will represent the country to the best of our ability. Our objective is always to make our countrymen proud,” added Guiao. “Bukas po magtatrabaho na kami.”
Two weeks ago, the SBP, led by its president Alfredo Panlilio, said in a statement that they made the decision “to allow our National Team and our organization to regroup, prepare for the process of appealing the FIBA Disciplinary Panel’s recent Decision, and aim for sustainable success in future tournaments.”
The decision came a few days after the FIBA, the world governing body in basketball, sanctioned SBP with a P13-million fine after the FIBA Disciplinary Panel suspended 13 players and 2 coaches, from the Gilas Pilipinas and the Australian Boomers.
The suspensions and fines were handed to the Philippines and Australia for figuring in a brawl midway through the third quarter of their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifier at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan last July 2.
Officials believe that joining the Asiad at this time will not maximize the national squad’s exposure