PBA affirms support for Gilas Pilipinas following Fiba ban

POC secretary general Pato Gregorio (left) beside PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial during the meeting with Gilas Pilipinas and SBP. Photo by Bong Lozada

The PBA is giving its full support to Gilas Pilipinas after 10 of its players have been suspended for the upcoming games in 2018 Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

With top players out for Gilas’ second-round campaign starting September, the national team will need to add more players to the pool which will likely come from the PBA.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said that head coach Chot Reyes, who is also suspended for one game, can have his pick of qualified players from all the 12 teams.

“Chot Reyes’ pool is the 12 teams in the PBA,” Marcial told INQUIRER.net in Filipino in a phone interview. “Whoever he picks, we will give to him as long as the player wants to play.”

Calvin Abueva bore the brunt of Fiba’s sanctions, receiving a six-game suspension which basically takes him out of the entire second round, while Roger Pogoy, Jio Jalalon, and Carl Cruz got five-game bans each.

Terrence Romeo, Jayson Castro William, Andray Blatche and Jeth Troy Rosario are suspended for three games while Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright are out for one game.

Unlike Kiefer Ravena’s ban, though, these suspensions only cover games in the Asian Qualifiers and do not extend to the PBA.

“It’s good news for the PBA, but of course we’re sad for the hard work and sacrifice for the players. But we’ll follow Fiba’s decision,” said Marcial.

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