We can play this game

THE PBA board of governors made the prudent decision of allowing its key players to join the field of candidates for the Olympic qualifier next year.

Public sentiment has been loud and strong. Filipino hoop fans want to see their heroes play for their national team. Last Monday, an informal Twitter survey on the nightly TV sports show SportsDesk on CNN clearly expressed that the pro league should support Gilas, now and in the future.

One viewer even cleverly and succinctly tweeted that the “P” in the PBA stands for Philippines and thus, the league should align itself with the national concern.

We have repeatedly expressed in this space that the PBA supporting the national team augurs well for the league. From its earliest participation as an all-PBA team in the 1990 Asian Games to the present version of Gilas, there is heightened interest in Philippine basketball when the league lends its players.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong about having a “cadet” team ready for other international tournaments like the Southeast Asian Games. The interest and passion are still there but every Filipino knows that the talent gap between the country and other Asean nations is still wide.

Only an absolute training or coaching failure and a lack of interest in the SEA Games title could turn the tide. Or if some of our neighbors simply improve individually and as teams.

The PBA can provide the players, coaches and know-how to instill a return to the Asian basketball throne. Most PBA-filled national teams have finished in the top four of the Fiba Asia or the Asian Games. They have been in the thick of the tournaments and are still revered as formidable opponents in the region.

The regularity of the PBA games keeps the players sharp and battle-ready. A point that has been overlooked in the discussion is that pro players perform well against tall, beefy or agile imports. Many locals have been asked to play defense against these imports and that is never an easy assignment.

The forthcoming Olympic qualifier will not be the easiest tournament to win. Aside from our regular rivals Iran and Japan, European and Latin American countries will field teams who also want to play in the Olympics.  It is imperative therefore that the Philippines fields the best team it can form and have a reasonably fair amount of time to train as a unit.

What is the point of participating in the Olympics? Why want to play in a tournament we will most likely never win? Inclusion in the Olympics is an affirmation that your country is one of the best in a discipline.  The Games are not an open tournament where anyone can just join and only the best from different regions earn a slot.

Who knows what new ripples this island nation can create with a return to the Olympics. Anything is possible, just like the brilliant games Gilas played in the World Championships against Puerto Rico, Greece and Argentina.

We can play this game, Filipinos will say, as long as we have the best players from our professional basketball league.