Team owners, board governors tackle important PBA issues

For the first time in a long while, team owners and board governors of the Philippine Basketball Association meet Tuesday, Jan. 25, to discuss several important matters and set the proper direction for Asia’s pioneering professional league. The meeting will be held at the Camia Room of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel starting 2 p.m. Three sensitive issues — the proposed league’s own coliseum, the next PBA coveror, and the role of the country’s premier pro league in the formation of the national team — were included in the agenda. A last-minute inclusion is the case of Barako Bull, which filed a temporary leave of absence to give way to Smart Gilas’ participation in the PBA’s second conference, is also expected to be discussed. The agenda has already been prepared by PBA commissioner Atty. Chito Salud. Expected to attend the meeting are the country’s top corporate bigwigs: San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang, Smart-PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Alaska Milk owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Rain or Shine co-owners Raymund Yu and Terry Que, Air21 chairman Bert Lina, Coca-Cola board governor JB Baylon, Barako Bull team owner George Chua, Barangay Ginebra board representative Robert Non and B-Meg governor and now league chairman Rene Pardo. “I expect specific and definitive resolutions and directions to be arrived at by the team owners in the meeting," Salud said. “This meeting is something I have been looking forward to. The team owners have not met for quite sometime. This is certainly going to be positive for the league."

“My only expectation is that the discussions will be lively," added Baylon, also the team manager of the last all-pro squad that finished eighth in the FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin, China. For Salud, the choice of a TV coveror should be given special attention now, since Solar Sports has already informed the PBA of not renewing its contract. The pro league has already started planning to form its in-house production group in preparation for the TV coverage of the 37th season. “I’m just glad that the team owners are taking time from their busy schedules to help the PBA move forward," said Pardo. “I expect an interesting meeting," added Yu, whose team Rain or Shine figured in a three-team, multi-player trade with Meralco and Air21 late Thursday night. Prior to sitting down with the team owners, Salud will also meet with the entire PBA Board to personally present the blueprint of the PBA Developmental League. Patterned after the NBA D-League, the tournament is aimed at giving collegiate players, undrafted rookies, and prospective foreign-bred cagers a springboard to hone their skills and talent before jumping to the pro league. Among the D-League's expected features would be an age limit of 17-26 years old for players who come directly from the collegiate ranks and the free agent market. Foreign-bred players, on the other hand, are required to see action for at least two years before they are eligible to enter the PBA Draft. The PBA, a stakeholder in the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, has played a major role even in the country’s participation in the international cage scene. Since the implementation of the open-basketball policy in the late '80s, the league started sending professional players to major international events, beginning with the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, when the Philippines had a silver-medal finish — the highest place attained by the country since last winning the quadrennial meet's gold medal in 1962. The SBP will be presenting the accomplishment and future plans of the national team. The Smart Gilas national developmental squad, composed of some of the country’s amateur standouts, has been representing the Philippines in major international tournaments. But late last year, the team coached by Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman and bannered by naturalization candidate Marcus Douthit, started tapping professional players, with Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams and Sol Mercado joining the team. Basketball experts believe the young squad might once again ask for more reinforcements from the pro league, particularly for the FIBA Asia Championship in August. Formerly known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC), the FIBA Asia Championship was ruled by the Philippines for the last time in 1985. The event is the qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics. - KY, GMANews.TV