PBA regrets Asian Games pullout

The Philippine Basketball Association has joined the displeased throng over the country’s nonparticipation in the coming Asian Games.

Represented by seven board members and commissioner Willie Marcial in a press conference before Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday night, the league expressed its disappointment that it wasn’t even informed of the pullout which the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) finalized late Thursday night.

Marcial and Barangay Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua agreed the PBA cannot suspend its tournaments to accommodate the Indonesia Asiad because the league would have to stop operations for two months.

Chua also belied the widespread belief that the San Miguel group is stingy in lending its players, pointing out the Christian Standhardinger case in the Fiba 3×3 worlds where the Filipino-German rookie got injured.

“I hope the fans understand, because we allowed Christian to play at the 3×3 worlds, where he got injured and we can’t play with him,” said Chua. “I think it’s a matter of scheduling. San Miguel and its teams are willing to lend [players].”

The board also stressed that in earlier talks, the SBP, through Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes, said it wasn’t keen on sending PBA players to the Asiad because the cage body’s preference was for a sustained participation in the Fiba World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers.