Eala yields SMC basketball post; Chua on leave

SAN MIGUEL Corp. sports director and consultant for basketball operations Noli Eala has assumed a new assignment in the conglomerate’s construction business.

In a statement, SMC announced yesterday that the former PBA commissioner has been tapped to lend his managerial skills to the company’s various infrastructure projects.

“The company believes that Eala’s managerial expertise and experience with various companies he handled in recent years will be very valuable in his new assignment in infrastructure, one of the high-growth areas for the company,” the statement said.

The corporation, which owns Petron Blaze, Barangay Ginebra and San Mig Coffee in the PBA, also announced that management has accepted the request of Barangay Ginebra head coach Alfrancis Chua for a leave of absence during the PBA Governors’ Cup due to personal reasons.

“SMC assures the public, particularly its basketball fans, that the operations of its basketball teams will continue to run smoothly despite Eala’s new role in the organization.

A former sportscaster, Eala became PBA commissioner from 2003-2007 and ran the operations of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas as executive director until early 2011 before joining the SMC group.