No fines on Go, Thirdy; Tab stays
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas won’t impose penalties on amateur players caught on video engaging in a five-on-five game prohibited under the current quarantine guidelines imposed by the government.
SBP executive director Sonny Barrios said the players – Gilas Pilipinas pool member Isaac Go and Japan league-bound Thirdy Ravena, were reprimanded after they were filmed taking part in a pickup game at the Ronac gym in San Juan City.
“Wala kaming iniisip na penalty or fine,” Barrios said during the online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum yesterday. “Definitely, napagsabihan sila ni (SBP president Al Panlilio) at (director for operations Butch Antonio) na itigil niyo na yang pinaggagagawa niyo na hindi ayon sa regulations at nakakahiya tayo.”
PBA players Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Rain or Shine rookie Adrian Wong were fined P20,000 each by PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and were told to undergo swab testing followed by a 14-day quarantine for participating in the said pickup game.
Meanwhile, Barrios said the position of Tab Baldwin as project director of the Gilas Pilipinas program remains status quo.
Barrios said Baldwin remains on top of the national team’s preparations for the 2023 FIBA World Cup which the country is co-hosting with Japan and Indonesia.
While Barrios admitted the 62year-old Baldwin, also head coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, recently made public statements that were critical of the basketball landscape in the country, the governing body for the sport is letting the AmericanNew Zealander stay on.
“Sa ngayon wala naman not unless magsasalita ulit siya ng wala sa lugar,” stressed Barrios in the weekly session where he was joined by SBP director for operations Butch Antonio.
Barrios, former commissioner of the PBA, disclosed that SBP president Al Panlilio is planning to have a video conference with Baldwin and top officials and staff of the federation to address the Gilas program moving forward.
But at the same time, the SBP executive stressed nothing is cast in stone.
“In any given situation, nobody has a lock on position, not me, not Butch, not anybody,” Barrios added in the Forum powered by Smart and presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
“As they always say, we serve at the pleasure of the president.”