We’re back in Asian Games

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

It took a loud clamor from fans and sports personalities, a diplomatic request and the realization of a mistake to put Gilas Pilipinas back in  the Asian Games.

The Philippine Olympic Committee and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas backtracked on an earlier announcement that it was withdrawing the men’s national team from the Asiad slated in Indonesia starting this month, saying that a very public clamor fueled the change of heart.

“We realized there is a strong clamor from our basketball fans and since we are the house of basketball, we [took] a look at it and [understood] what the clamor is and where it is coming from,” said POC president Ricky Vargas in a press conference that preceded Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It came from the hearts of our Filipino basketball fans,” added Vargas, also the current PBA chair, who stressed that Special Assistant to the President  Bong Go personally made a diplomatic appeal before the league and the SBP to reconsider its withdrawal from the Asian Games, which start Aug. 18.

But a source told the Inquirer that the change of heart came from within the SBP, which realized it pulled out of the Games on the pull of emotion.

Above other reasons made public, the source said the SBP’s pullout was fueled partly by Fiba’s harsh sanctions on the country after the July 2 brawl against Australia during a Fiba World Cup qualifying match at Philippine Arena. Once SBP officials sobered up on the Fiba sanctions, the clamor by the public became too difficult to ignore.

Thus, the SBP will revert to its original plan of sending the core of the Rain or Shine squad, to be reinforced by cadets Ricci Rivero and Kobe Paras and pros Christian Standhardinger of San Miguel Beer and Paul Lee of Star.

“We’d like to thank boss RSA (SMC top honcho Ramon S. Ang) because his marching orders were to lend players that the Asian Games team needed,” said SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua.

NLEX bench strategist Yeng Guiao will head the team, which will have as its pool Rain or Shine mainstays Raymond Almazan, Gabe Norwood, Chris Tiu, Maverick Ahanmisi, James Yap and Beau Belga, Asi Taulava of NLEX, Poy Erram of Blackwater, TNT’s Don Trollano, and Global Port’s Stanley Pringle.

“We know there’s always pressure when you play and coach for the country and we also know that it’s about sacrifice and service to the country,” said Guiao.

Guiao will cut the 14-man pool to 12 before the team leaves for Jakarta on Aug. 14. Gilas Pilipinas sees action on Aug. 16.

“Time is really short. That is also the reason why Rain or Shine became the core of the team. They are familiar with me and I’m familiar with them,” said Guiao.