WHAT will the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas do next?
The SBP has yet to issue a word or name the two players who wanted the moon before suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas in the Hangzhou Asian Games, four days after PBA chairman Ricky Vargas made the damning revelation.
Vargas stunned the country’s basketball landscape by saying that two cagers, one of them through an agent, demanded money before agreeing to see action for Gilas in China. Vargas refused to identify the two, who were not called for team duty.
At least two players who saw action for Gilas in the recent FIBA World Cup received millions of pesos each, according to the grapevine.
While the foot-dragging continues, the euphoria of the Philippines’ first Asiad gold medal in 61 years has yet to die down.
From the PBA side, Commissioner Willie Marcial downplayed his roles, one of them as Gilas assistant team manager, after the Nationals got the job–touted by many as Mission Impossible–done.
“Nagkataon lang na ako ang Commissioner. Siyempre matutuwa iyong Commissioner, kahit sino naman,” Marcial said. “Makita mo two weeks lang ang preparasyon, within five days, four games.
“Sa stretch na iyon mayroon pa kaming katulad ng sinabi ni chairman (Ricky Vargas), tapos 18 hours, 16 hours lang ang pahinga,” he added.
As far as Vargas is concerned, it’s time to call a basketball summit to discuss the path the SBP and the PBA should take in the future.
Already, the PBA has scrapped the Governors’ Cup for its 48th season and delayed its original curtain raiser set Oct. 15 to accommodate the FIBA World Cup and the Asian Games.
The season-opening Commissioner’s Cup has been moved to Nov. 5 to give the Asiad dribblers more time to rest and recover.
“Just to remind everyone, this break is the longest break that the PBA sacrificed for the national team, and it has directly affected our revenues,” Vargas said. “Maybe it’s time to call for a basketball summit. Every stakeholder is there. Then we decide.
“The first thing we decide is to align our calendars to be able to make the players available. That’s what’s important. Available to practice, available to represent the country.”
Ranged against the Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-led Jordan, the Philippines carved out an 80-70 victory in the Asiad title match to reach the Promised Land anew after more than half a century.
Marcial never had it this good.
“Iba talaga iyong sinasabi nilang samahan. Chemistry ng buong team, ultimo ball boy, liaison officers, kami, ganoon ang samahan. Matutuwa ka,” he said.
“May iba ring mga Commissioner na matutuwa diyan. Pero sa akin, ano pa ba ang masasabi ko? Ibinigay nila ang lahat kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila.”
