INQUIRER Sports

LITO ALVAREZ, chair of the PBA board and team manager of Burger King, talked with a lot of enthusiasm Wednesday not only because the league will open its 35th season on Sunday.

He was in high spirits because of a much bigger reason.

?I have instructed (our team liaison officer) to have the uniform of Japeth (Aguilar) prepared,? Alvarez said during the league?s launch of the KFC Philippine Cup at the Diamond Hotel. ?Don?t be surprised if he suits up (on Sunday).?

A key meeting between Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials expected to be led by chair Manny V. Pangilinan, and Burger King was scheduled yesterday afternoon regarding the Aguilar case, which Alvarez thinks will be decided in the Whoppers? favor.

The Whoppers clash with Purefoods in the only game slated at the Big Dome in Sunday?s inaugurals, and Alvarez talked with optimism because he believes that he has the word of the SBP, through Noli Eala, that the cage agency ?will not offer anything to Aguilar until he resolves his issues with the PBA.?

The top overall pick in this year?s rookie draft, Aguilar hogged the sports headlines after turning his back on the Whoppers and saying that he wanted to play for SBP?s Smart Gilas team instead.

Aguilar, a former Western Kentucky University reserve, was later accused of making a mockery of the time-tested PBA rule regarding rookie applicants.

?What we are offering him is the best of both worlds, actually,? Alvarez said. ?He can make up to P60 million in his lifetime for making a no-brainer of a choice.?

The son of former national team mainstay and PBA veteran Peter also risks being banned from playing in the Philippine Cup with Smart Gilas if he refuses to sign with the Whoppers.

Smart Gilas, to be reinforced by American CJ Giles, has been accepted as a guest team in the tournament also presented by Coca-Cola and Smart.

?I think he has no choice but to play (for Burger King),? Alvarez said. ?It (banning Aguilar in the Philippine Cup) was the consensus among the members of the board to prevent players from bastardizing PBA rules in the future.?

Also present at the Diamond Hotel yesterday were vice chair Rene Pardo of Purefoods, treasurer Mamerto Mondragon of Rain or Shine, board members Robert Non of Barangay Ginebra and Ely Capacio of San Miguel and commissioner Sonny Barrios.

Aguilar had earlier said he still hopes to suit up for flag and country.

?It makes me look bad every time somebody asks me about Burger King,? said the 22-year-old center. ?They (Whoppers) still have the rights after picking me up in the draft. But I want to serve my country first,? he added.