This, too, shall pass

The SBP’s decision to withdraw the Philippine national team from the basketball competition of the Asian Games in Jakarta on Aug. 14-Sept. 1 has triggered severe criticism from several quarters in the local sports community. There is widespread discontent that the Philippines will not participate in the country’s favorite sport.

SBP president Al Panlilio issued a statement explaining that the withdrawal was decided “to allow our national team and our organization to regroup, prepare for the process of appealing the FIBA Disciplinary Panel’s recent decision and aim for sustainable success for future tournaments including the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 FIBA World Cup.”

The pull-out came as a surprise even to the PBA whose Board of Governors has painstakingly tried to form a competitive team for the Asian Games. Panlilio is a member of the PBA Board as Meralco’s representative and POC president Ricky Vargas is concurrently the PBA chairman. Last Tuesday, POC secretary-general Patrick Gregorio was formally advised by Panlilio to officiallly send the final notice of withdrawal to the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Panlilio hinted that there were “complex” issues that prompted the withdrawal without elaborating. Presumably, the decision was reached in consultation with FIBA and the Indonesian officials led by Erick Thohir. SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan and Thohir are close allies as both are members of the FIBA Central Board. They also conspired to form a three-nation winning bid for the hosting rights of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

In fairness to the PBA, the pro league went beyond the call of duty to accommodate the SBP in lending players for the Asian Games. The first proposal was to form a team built around the core of the TNT KaTropa squad. This roster was assembled with the first proposal in mind – Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo, R. R. Pogoy, Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano, Anthony Semerad, Troy Rosario, Kelly Williams, Ricci Rivero, Kobe Paras, Abu Tratter and Andray Blatche. In the aftermath of the recent Philippines-Australia brawl in the third window of the FIBA Asia/Pacific World Cup qualifiers, 10 Filipino players were suspended and even coach Chot Reyes was sacked for a game. The suspension was not binding on the Asian Games but the SBP, in deference to FIBA, must have felt it prudent to delist the sanctioned players. If the suspended players were allowed to play in the Asian Games, FIBA might misinterpret it as a sign of the SBP’s defiance.

So the PBA came up with another proposal, this time to build the national team around the core of the Rain Or Shine squad. NLEX coach Yeng Guiao was tapped to call the shots in place of Reyes with Caloy Garcia as chief assistant. There was talk that the SBP would try to reinforce the Rain Or Shine core with J. P. Erram of Blackwater, Stanley Pringle of GlobalPort, Paul Lee of Magnolia, Jeff Chan of Ginebra and Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson as the naturalized import. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said there is no restriction on whom to recruit from PBA teams but left it up to the players to decide whether or not to join Gilas.

“We’ll adjust the schedule of Rain Or Shine during the Asian Games but we won’t be able to adjust the schedules of every other team,” he said. The decision to withdraw came hours after the PBA held a Board meeting to express all-out support for the SBP to send a team to Jakarta. Plane tickets for the PBA Board to witness the games were already in process when the SBP made the shock announcement.

For Thohir, the Philippines’ withdrawal may not be a bad thing because it opens the window for the host country to win the basketball gold medal. Of 15 countries initially pencilled to play in Jakarta, the list is down to 13 with the Philippines and Palestine backing out. The Philippines would’ve played in Group B with Iran, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

Panlilio said what prompted the withdrawal was “the time and chance to form an optimal team.” Asked if the decision also considered the Asian Games eligibility rules that Fil-Ams had to be born in the Philippines and a naturalized player must have established a three-year residence, Panlilio admitted “Yes, I believe so.” Gilas team manager Butch Antonio confirmed the eligibility rules that would’ve even disqualified Fil-Am Gabe Norwood because he wasn’t born in the Philippines.

The SBP knew that the withdrawal wouldn’t be a popular decision. So there must have been serious overriding reasons for the SBP to withdraw, reasons that at the moment, Panlilio may not be at liberty to disclose. One thing’s for sure, the SBP will never sell the country down the drain. The SBP has worked so hard to get Philippine basketball back on the global map that it would never do anything to jeopardize the country’s future in the sport that millions of Filipinos love.

Let’s trust the SBP leaders to do the right thing and what’s best for Philippine basketball. Withdrawing from the Asian Games may be painful and even embarrassing but there must be compelling reasons for the SBP to do what it did. Let’s give the SBP the benefit of the doubt, move forward and believe that this, too, shall pass.