PBA board to appoint Marcial?

The search process for the next PBA commissioner formally starts today with the PBA Board of Governors convening in its first meeting for the year at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.

It could be over if the proposal to promote officer-in-charge Willie Marcial to full-fledged commissioner is approved.

With the league still smarting from the controversial issue regarding the tenure of Chito Narvasa, the majority number of the board are said to be looking for somebody to be “a healing commissioner.”

And their bet is Marcial, according to sources.

If ever, Marcial would be the 10th PBA commissioner after Leo Prieto, Mariano Yenko, Rudy Salud, Rey Marquez, Jun Bernardino, Noli Eala, Sonny Barrios, Chito Salud and Narvasa.

Marcial has been part of the PBA management team from the time of Eala. He rose all the way from being a statistician during the time of Prieto then floor director with TV coveror Vintage Enterprises from the tenures of Salud to Bernardino.

Several names have been mentioned as prospective candidates, including Jolly Gomez, Rebo Saguisag, Ariel Magno, Charlie Cuna, Chito Loyzaga, Joel Banal and Bill Velasco.

But there’s a growing clamor that they spare the league of another tedious search since Marcial looks well capable to assume the position. “We have somebody from inside the league who is qualified,” Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy has said in a chat with a group of sportswriters.