THE PBA seems to be erring on the side of caution on this one.
While all signs point to the sale of NorthPort’s franchise to newcomer Pureblends Corporation lock, stock, and barrel, as a done deal, the pro league is making sure the transaction will be smoother this time—with the ball not be dropped at the last minute.
That explains why PBA officials led by Commissioner Willie Marcial appear to be tight-lipped on the reported sale of the Mikee Romero-owned ballclub to the tune of P90 million—that will be paid on an installment basis—by the Caloocan-based food solution provider specializing in custom food manufacturing.
The effervescent and hardworking Marcial opted to defer to the PBA board of governors’ meeting yesterday, where they tackled the supposed transaction.
Marcial could not be reached for comment last night on the details of the powerful board’s gab.
For good reason.
Before the end of the 49th season, Terrafirma openly shopped its team, with two buyers trying to take over the squad—the Starhorse Shipping Lines and the Zamboanga Valientes—but both failed to close the deal after failing to meet the requirements set by Asia’s pioneering pro league.
The Batang Pier advanced to the semifinals of the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup last season but lost to Ginebra.
In a strange twist of events that followed, NorthPort dealt last May vastly-improved William Navarro to Magnolia for veteran forward Calvin Abueva, Jerrick Balanza, and a second-round pick in the 51st season Draft.
The Batang Pier also let go of star forward Arvin Tolentino, who packed his bags for the Korean Basketball League in the same month.
NorthPort ended up with a 2-9 mark for 11th and has only made it to the semifinals three times in franchise history since the Sultan 900 Inc. bought the Powerade crew 13 years ago.
The Batang Pier have the No. 4 pick in Sunday’s rookie Draft at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall but whoever shows up today—whether the same NorthPort side from coaches to officials in the Draft Combine at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig—or surprise, surprise, Pureblends, has no other recourse but to shed light on the matter.
