'PBA should continue lending players to nat’l team'

Touched by the experience of Powerade-Team Pilipinas’ campaign in the 25th FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Sonny Barrios is now personally convinced about the major role the league has to play in the formation and participation of the national team to major international tournaments. So if he can only have his way, Barrios said he’s taking an open mind as far as the continuous lending of PBA players for national cause is concerned. “Let me put it this way. My heart too, as a Filipino, was touched by the experience here (FIBA Asia meet). Sinasabi ko naman sa inyo that this is something new to me, pero nakita ko ‘yung fervor na pag lumalaban ka para sa bayan, ibang klase nga," said the commissioner.

Initially, Barrios was resolved that this year’s FIBA-Asia stint would be the exit plan of the league for its players to suit up for national cause. The team ended up eighth overall, one rung better than the country’s finish in 2007. But after getting a feel of what it really takes to represent the country, not to mention the little convincing done by coach Yeng Guiao for his part, the commissioner relented to what his heart had been saying and reconsidered his decision. “Basically, I believe that even coach Yeng, as a Filipino, was touched by this experience. So he talked to me personally and asked in the nicest of terms to open my mind to the PBA continuing to help out the national cause," he said after Guiao vocally made known his stance that one way for the country to stay competitive with the rest of the Asian cage powers is through the involvement of the league. Support of PBA board Guiao already got the nod of Sta. Lucia board representative Buddy Encarnado about the matter as the latter encouraged the national coach to put into writing his suggestion, which in turn, he’d take up with the PBA board. “That’s coach Yeng’s input, because he knows naman my personal perspective that I am part of that traditional thinking of our founding fathers that the PBA is a Filipino basketball (league) by Filipino players in the Philippines. “But at the same time, coach Yeng is saying na dapat buksan mo ang mind mo. And I’d like to think that it was not at all self-serving for his part, because he knows he’s not going to be coaching a national team anytime soon," Barrios said. For that to push through, a lot of considerations have to be made. One, the proposal needs the approval of the entire PBA board. And two, it also has to have the imprimatur of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). “I will discuss it (with the PBA Board) and we’ll have that calendared," said Barrios. “And sana, we can look at things positively. I’m prepared to sit down with the SBP, kasi mahirap naman manguna dahil sila ang national association. Baka mamaya malito ang SBP and sabihin, akala namin exit plan ang gusto ninyo PBA, tapos ngayon nagpi-prisinta kayo." PBA-SBP partnership The PBA chief lauded the efforts being taken by the SBP to put in place a long-range basketball program through the formation of the RP Smart Gilas team. “We have been complaining that there is no long-term program by the NSA (national sports association, in this case the SBP), but fortunately, we now have one under Mr. (Manny) Pangilinan and we have to thank him for that," he added. Then again as gleamed by his FIBA-Asia experience, most of the players seeing action are currently at their primes, ranging for ages 26 to 29. “And the question nga of coach Yeng, at 26 to 28 sa Pilipinas, nasaan ba ang mga yan, di ba nasa PBA na?" Barrios pointed out. Complex the set up may be but the PBA commissioner is optimistic a win-win solution would eventually be achieved. “With what the SBP is doing and with the input of coach Yeng, perhaps if we all talk together as Filipinos wanting to do good for the best for basketball, Filipino basketball, then we can most likely achieve something more than what we have achieved so far," he said. – GMANews.TV