Pros’ availability for Gilas discussed in key meet

Willie Marcial —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) leadership will have a key meeting on Monday to discuss how to continue accommodating the national cage program, which has formally asked for its help on Tuesday regarding a 30-man wish list that Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes has for a number of tournaments including the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) World Cup (WC) in August 2023.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said he is anticipating drastic changes to be made to the league’s schedule for the rest of 2022, as Asia’s pioneering pro league continues to fulfill its promise of supporting the National Five.

“I’m set to take it up to the [Board of Governors]. After that, we’ll take it up with the players [on the wish list], then we’ll talk to the teams,” Marcial said. “Only then are we going to know how to tinker with our schedule [for the rest of the year].”

The PBA schedule is expected to run smack into the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in May, another Fiba World Cup window in June, the Fiba Asia Cup in Indonesia in July and the Asian Games in September in China which is the biggest of them all before the World Cup.

Gilas wound up with a 1-1 record in the recent WC window, its loss being a 25-point shellacking at the hands of regional power New Zealand last Sunday.

A number of PBA players are expected to comprise the talent pool with a third already filled out by the Gilas draftees and several standouts plying their wares overseas like Dwight Ramos, Thirdy Ravena and Kai Sotto.

“If they’re really going to draw some players from [the PBA], then that’s going to be a monthly commitment,” said Marcial.

Marcial said the PBA also has to take into consideration the league’s arrangements with the East Asia Super League, where it has committed to send two clubs in October.