WITH the resumption of the PBA Governors Cup now just a matter of time, it’s time the pro league addressed another concern.
Commissioner Willie Marcial yesterday said he will sit down with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials, led by its president, Al Panlilio, soon to discuss how the pro league can help in the federation’s preparations for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers scheduled Feb. 24-28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Pag-uusapan pa namin ng SBP ‘yan kung papaano,” Marcial told Malaya-Business Insight. “Tingnan natin kung ano-ano talaga mga kailangan sa atin, kung ano magagawa natin.”
Among the topics to be discussed is the schedule, whether the PBA has to adjust its calendar to give way for the window because it will surely be in conflict with the Governors’ Cup eliminations.
The season-ending conference intends to resume next Friday after stopping play last Jan. 5 in response to the government’s decision to revert Metro Manila to Alert Level 3 due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
The resumption was paved by the government’s announcement including Metro Manila among the areas reverting to Alert Level 2, which allows contact sports like basketball to be played.
Marcial has said the resumption playdates would be the same as before, meaning there will be daily games from Wednesdays to Sundays, with Mondays and Tuesdays allotted for weekly swab tests and turnaround of results, respectively.
The Asian Cup qualifiers are set to start on a Thursday (Feb. 24).
“Siguradong magtatama ang sked, pero kailangan natin ang pormal na usapan para ma-desisyunan natin kung paano i-a-adjust ang schedule natin,” said Marcial.
Expected to be tackled, as well, is the status of the Gilas draftees from 2019, as their contracts with the Gilas program expired yesterday.
It is not yet known if Terrafirma’s Isaac Go, Blackwater’s Rey Suerte, Nieto twins Matt (NLEX) and Mike (Rain or Shine), and Alaska’s Allyn Bulanadi will stay with the program or join their respective mother teams instead.
The PBA has said it is just waiting for word from the SBP regarding the said cagers. They will all be eligible to play for their respective ballclubs once cleared by the federation.
Such uncertainty is perhaps one of the reasons why the SBNP has yet to release a pool for the coming window, where it will battle long-time rivals South Korea, powerhouse New Zealand and India in a competitive Group A.
Thus, the importance of the coming SBP meeting with the PBA, which has not been stingy in helping out the former’s program numerous times before, even lending some of its players to the national team.
