SBP not giving up hope on Blatche case

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is clinging to slim hopes of fielding Andray Blatche in the Asian Games while at the same time appealing for more time for Gilas Pilipinas to name a replacement in case their naturalized player is deemed ineligible due to residency rules.

The Inquirer learned yesterday that the SBP, through the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), had written the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee (Iagoc) asking for an extension to a new deadline given the SBP last Monday.

The Philippines—should the former Brooklyn Net be allowed to play—looms as one of the favorites for the basketball gold in the Asiad in Incheon, South Korea.

Blatche’s ineligibility is under question because under certain rules and provisions of the Olympic Council of Asia, the NBA standout should have been a resident of the country for the last three years to qualify as a naturalized player.

The Iagoc also sought a clarification on Jared Dillinger and Gabe Norwood after both submitted new passports, but both are expected to sail through scrutiny since they are not naturalized players.

Blatche gained Fiba clearance only recently for the World Cup, which is set to start tomorrow in four cities in Spain.

The Iagoc also gave the SBP until the end of office hours yesterday to name replacements for the questioned players.

The SBP is appealing the deadline to prove its point that Blatche is eligible based on Fiba rules.

The POC, said the source, is hopeful that Blatche would turn out to be eligible because it thinks that the Iagoc will not actually allow the Philippines to replace any ineligible player past the deadline because the other countries will raise a howl.

Asian Games rules state that players can only be replaced on account of injuries and medical reasons, and Blatche, according to team sources, will not agree to that since he is currently trying to negotiate a new NBA contract.

“And besides, the other countries (in the Asian Games) will probably not agree to that since they have seen Blatche in the last three weeks playing hard (in Gilas’ tune-up games),” said the source.

The SBP included Blatche’s name in the Asian Games roster a few days before the Aug. 15 deadline thinking that he is eligible after Fiba had cleared him to play in the World Cup.