THE PBA’s door remains open for Gilas Pilipinas.
Board Chairman Ricky Vargas said the pro league’s offer last February to have the nationals see action as a guest team is still on the table.
“The invitation has always been there. Always open,” Vargas said in the recent online Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
“We welcome that, especially to be able to see iyong Gilas team natin na maglaro sa PBA,” he added.
Vargas, also TNT’s governor, said the PBA is waiting for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to make its move.
“Sa ngayon, wala pa kaming naririnig sa SBP,” he said in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“But iyon offer na iyon, laging nandoon.”
The last time the national team saw action in the pro league was in the 2011 mid-season Commissioner’s Cup when the squad, bannered by then amateur standouts Chris Tiu, JVee Casio, Mark Barroca, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Japeth Aguilar, and naturalized player Marcus Douthit, finished with a 7-2 card and reached the semifinals but lost to Ginebra.
The Northern Consolidated Corp five of the late Ron Jacobs in the mid-1980s was the last Philippine squad given the opportunity to compete for the crown.
