PBA teams not obliged to lend players to PH squad for Champs Cup, says Reyes

Chot Reyes. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Before any criticism against the PBA is thrown, coach Chot Reyes is the first to absolve the league from lending its players to Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas.

“When we put this together, this wasn’t even in the plan,” Reyes said Tuesday during the team’s sendoff at Discovery Suites Hotel in Mandaluyong.

Reyes will call the shots for the PH team in the upcoming 2017 Fiba Asia Champions Cup in Chenzhou, China with the team largely made up of amateur standouts.

“This tourney was not part of the discussion with the PBA. To be fair to the PBA, they have no obligations to this team,” he said.

Of the 12-man roster, Carl Bryan Cruz, LA Revilla, Norbert Torres, and Alfrancis Tamsi are the only players who have existing contracts in the PBA, while Almond Vosotros, Jeric Teng, and Gab Banal are currently free agents.

Reyes also understands why Alaska and GlobalPort are hesitant to lend players like Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo.

“The agreement we had with the PBA is if their tournament is over, we can get them. Calvin and Terrence showed up in our first practice, but I told them that they shouldn’t be here and I was serious with that,” he said.

“This is a club championship, not a national team competition.”

The team leaves for Chenzhou on Wednesday.