PBA urged to discontinue formation of RP teams

Two members of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) board have urged the pro league to stop forming a national squad to participate in the qualifying events for either the World Basketball Championship or the Olympics. “I believe it’s the responsibility of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (the local governing body for basketball)," Alaska’s Joaqui Trillo told GMANews.TV. Trillo’s call to other members of the board ran counter to coach Yeng Guiao’s clamor for the PBA’s continuous participation in international competitions. Guiao has made the suggestion in the wake of the all-pro squad’s eighth place finish in the FIBA Asia Championship recently in Tianjin, China. But for Trillo, the PBA should leave the formation of the RP to the SBP, although as stakeholder, the league must still support the national cause in a different manner. “They (SBP) are the authorized basketball body and they should be the one mainly responsible in selecting players to international tournaments. We in the board have discussed that several times. It’s about time the PBA should give way," he said.

Sharing Trillo’s sentiment was Ricky Vargas, Talk N Text’s board representative and vice chairman of the SBP. “Maybe people forgot that it’s not the PBA which decides on forming up a national team. It is the SBP which gives blessing to the PBA," said Vargas. According to Vargas, the SBP has already laid out a long-term plan for its Smart Gilas Pilipinas team, composed of collegiate and amateur stars. “Realistically speaking, parang nabunutan nga ng tinik ang PBA dito because they need not worry about the national team anymore. It is already established now, mayroon ng players, coach and sariling funding. They should be thankful pa nga dapat," he said. Lending players Trillo and Vargas, however, shared the opinion that the PBA should be open to the idea of lending three players to the Smart-Gilas squad in future international tournaments. The SBP is reportedly eyeing young PBA talents like Japeth Aguilar of Burger King, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine and Jared Dillinger of Talk N Text, who all suited up for Guiao’s Powerade Pilipinas squad. “In that way, magkakaroon pa rin ng involvement ang PBA in the national team," said Vargas. “For example, if Smart-Gilas would tap Japeth Aguilar or several other players in the PBA, the league should be open to that. But whether the teams or the league itself would lend the players is a big question at this stage." Trillo, also a former team manager of the RP Centennial team that finished third in the Bangkok Asian Games, believes the Smart-Gilas team, which is following the model of the successful Northern Consolidated team in the 1980s, is on the right track. He considers preparation and funding as essential ingredients to success. “We may not reap the fruits of success now, but in years to come. Imagine, our Philippine squads finished third or fourth in the (past) Asian Games with little time to prepare, what more with a team that will be together for the next three or four years. I’m confident that we will be successful once this program continues," said Trillo. - GMANews.TV