THEIR identities have not been revealed but the two players who wanted the moon before playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the Hangzhou Asian Games should no longer be considered for national team duty in the future.
There was no immediate reaction from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas yesterday but it would not come as a surprise if it moves toward this direction.
In a press conference last Monday at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City, pro league chairman Ricky Vargas revealed that the two players, one of them through his agent, demanded money before playing in Hangzhou.
“I was on the phone, and I spoke to one player that we wanted to play for the team,” Vargas said. “He said, ‘Yes, I love the country, I would play for the team,’ and then he said ‘talk to my manager.’ The manager came back and said he (the player) will play as long as you pay him.
“Then I went to Alfrancis (Chua) and coach Tim (Cone), I said, ‘We are willing to support you, we are willing to bring this player in. We need this player badly. But this is the amount of money that he wants,’” he added.
Vargas refused to name names, only saying the two asked for too much money.
“I’d rather not say that, but he was not the only one,” Vargas said, referring to the identities of the cagers. “There was another one who was asking (for a lot of money) also.”
Vargas did not say if the two players had seen action for Gilas before.
There are rumors circulating about that at least two players who saw action for Gilas in the recent FIBA World Cup received millions of pesos each.
San Miguel Corp. sports director and Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua, who served as the Nationals’ team manager in the Asiad, and coach Tim Cone refused Vargas’ offer because they did not want an internal turmoil to destroy the squad.
Chua said all the players–including the four whose inclusion in the team at the last minute was turned down by Asiad officials, namely, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, and Jason Perkins–did not ask for anything.
“Iyong 12 players na iyon, actually 16 (kasama iyong apat) tinawagan ko iyan isa-isa dahil we needed to practice right away,” Chua said.
“Ni isang player doon, walang tinanong sa akin kung magkano ang bayad sa amin, magkano ang allowance. Wala.”
The Filipino dribblers waylaid Jordan 80-70 in the title match of the basketball event, ending a long and dreary 61-year dry spell for basketball-loving Pinoys.
Vargas praised the players’ indomitable desire to suit up for flag and country.
“It was a battle cry for us. We will play because you truly love to play, and you want to play. We are not forcing you. That was our first statement to them,” he said.
Ditto with Chua, who said even naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame were foremost among those who led by example.
“They didn’t ask (for anything). Kaya bilib na bilib ako … Kapag gusto naming kunin iyong iba, ang unang tanong sa amin, ‘magkano’. Kaya sabi ko, ‘Huwag na. Hindi natin kailangan iyan.’ We are just going to play,” Chua said.
“That’s why we are proud of these players. Even (Justin) Brownlee. Even (Ange) Kouame. Wala. Wala silang hiningi. They just want to win.”
