PBA to give way to Smart Gilas in Asian cage meets

source: gmanews.tv

Enough of the old pick-up-system habit, it’s time for a more concrete program for the national basketball team to major Asian basketball tournaments.

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is now mulling the possibility of ceasing to send an all-pro squad to continental competitions and instead give way to a team assembled for the long-term such as Smart Gilas.

“After the benefit game between (the all-pro) Powerade-Pilipinas and Smart Gilas, I was walking to the exit area going to the dugout along with Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan and I told him my thoughts about the game," PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said during the launch of the league’s 35th season.

"The game showed only one important thing -- that long term preparation is indeed much better than the pickup system of star players (from the PBA)," Barrios added.

The Smart Gilas squad of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman whipped the unprepared and short-handed Powerade-Pilipinas five of Yeng Guiao, 98-69, in their benefit game Monday night.

For Barrios, the game was a reality check that a pool of talents committed to play together for the long haul, and one that enjoys sufficient funding and training, is the ideal representive to the Asian Games and the FIBA Asia championship than a selection of PBA stars with crammed training.

The PBA has been actively involved in the creation of the RP cage squad since 1990, when former senator Robert Jaworski's crew brought home a silver medal in the Beijing Asian Games.

Ironically, it was the best-ever finish for an all-pro squad since the country started sending players in the elite tournaments nearly two decades ago. The 1994 squad coached by Norman Black finished only fourth in the Hiroshima Asiad, the Centennial Team of coach Tim Cone placed third in Thailand and the 2002 quintet of Jong Uichico in Busan was only good for fourth.

Worse, when the PBA set its sights on the Olympic and World Basketball qualifying tournaments, the RP 5 fumbled against powerhouse nations in the region with coach Chot Reyes’ RP five placing only ninth in Tokushima two years ago and Guiao’s wards finishing eighth in Tianjin only recently.

Under a memorandum of agreement between the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the local governing body for basketball, the pro league is tasked to handle the country’s campaign in the Asian Games and FIBA Asia tilt.

But with Smart Gilas - an assembly of the brightest amateur stars bound to stay together for three years leading to the 2012 Olympics – already set up, the PBA feels it’s time to pass the baton to this pool.

PBA chairman Lito Alvarez said several board members have already suggested an “exit plan" for the pro loop.

“Dati kasi may transition period pa ang BAP-SBP (early years of the national sports association for basketball). But since meron ng programa, it’s about time the PBA should think about the exit plan and let the SBP take care of forming up an RP squad which will train and play together for a long period of time. And I think Smart Gilas will be capable of representing the country," said Alvarez.

Smart Gilas is also set to play as a guest team in the coming PBA season as part of its long-term preparations for the big task ahead. - GMANews.TV