FILE – POC chief Ricky Vargas. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas said the lack of players to form a competitive lineup was what prompted the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to back out of the 2018 Asian Games.
Vargas, who is also the PBA Board chairman, said they could not secure the services of naturalized center Andray Blatche and Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson to bolster Rain or Shine’s core for the Jakarta games.
“The PBA was ready to lend to the SBP, the problem was there was no Blatche, no Clarkson,” said Vargas in a conference call with the media at PBA office on Thursday. “Those are two important pieces to the puzzle.”
READ: SBP makes U-turn, withdraws from Asian Games
“They [the SBP] thought best not to send.”
Vargas admitted that the SBP decision was an “unpopular” one “but they had to make the decision.”
Vargas’ words echoed what Yeng Guiao thought was the reason why SBP decided to back out of the competition.
“If we can’t form a competitive team, why must we embarrass ourselves if we will go unprepared and not equipped,” said Guiao Thursday night shortly after the withdrawal was announced.
READ: Failure to form competitive Asiad team led to SBP pullout, says Guiao
“I want to bring a team that can compete and we can be proud of. In the process of completing the lineup there were doubts on whether we can really compete with the players requested.”
Vargas said Clarkson’s eligibility for the Asian Games was still in limbo almost a month after the deadline for the lineups passed on June 30.
Clarkson first had to get clearance from the Cleveland Cavaliers, his mother team, and the NBA to be able to get a chance to play in with the Philippines in the Asian Games.
Those clearances, however, are just some of the requirements for Clarkson to play in the Asian Games as the SBP still has to make a petition to the Olympic Council of Asia to include the Cavalier in the final lineup.