Photo by Nuki Sabio, PBA
MANILA, Philippines — Opting suit up for their mother ball clubs, the four Philippine Basketball Association players loaned to Smart Gilas Pilipinas will not be around in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association Championship next week and could miss the William Jones Cup in August as well.
Head coach Rajko Toroman confirmed on Tuesday that Jimmy Alapag and Kelly Williams of Talk ‘N Text, Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros and Meralco’s Asi Taulava will play for their respective teams for the duration of the season-ending Governor’s Cup.
The Seaba is scheduled June 23 to 26 in Jakarta, where the top three countries will represent the region in the Fiba Asia Championship in Wuhan, China, on Sept. 15 to 25.
The last elimination-round play date of the ongoing Governor’s Cup is on July 20 while the finals is projected to end Aug. 15 at the latest.
Since the Jones Cup will be held on Aug. 6 to 14, chances are the PBA stars would skip the Taipei joust, the last major tourney for the Nationals before going to the Asian Championship.
“It really depends on their teams’ performance in the conference,” said Toroman. “We just have to keep on working and not get distracted.”
The PBA board of governors has set a condition that once the four players suit up for their teams, they have to finish the entire conference before rejoining the national squad.
Taulava played for the Bolts in their 105-100 victory over Petron Blaze while Hontiveros, Alapag and Williams will see action on Wednesday when Air21 faces Rain Or Shine and TNT tackles Alaska at the Big Dome.
Taulava and Hontiveros helped Smart Gilas to a fourth-place finish in the recent Fiba Asia Champions Cup.
After the Seaba, the Nationals will also train in Portugal and Turkey next month prior to the Jones Cup, where they get to test some of the teams playing in Wuhan.
Except for China and South Korea, most of the countries use the Jones Cup as preparation for the Asian Championship, which offers the lone continental spot for the 2012 London Olympics.