Blu Girls, cagebelles in must-win quest

IT’S GOLD or bust.

  That’s the only choice the Philippine Olympic Committee has given the national teams in women’s softball and women’s basketball to squeeze into the RP delegation to the Guangzhou Asian Games.   Asiad chief of mission Joey Romasanta yesterday said they won’t settle for anything less than the championship when the RP Blu Girls compete in the Asean championships next month, and the RP cagebelles in the Seaba in October.   “That’s the challenge we posed on them. We can no longer bend backwards to accommodate them,” Romasanta said.   Despite major revamp in its Southeast Asian games champion squad, the Blu Girls are heavy favorites in the Asean women’s softball championship in Jakarta on July 29 to Aug. 1. The RP women’s basketball team will enjoy homecourt advantage since the country is hosting this year’s Seaba tournament.   The Asiad technical committee has given national sports association until Aug. 2 to submit their Asiad choices. The committee will present the candidates to the POC executive council on Aug. 11.   “It’s up to the POC executive council to approve, disapprove or amend the composition. So by Aug. 11, I would already have a national delegation,” he added.   Romasanta also said they need a clarification from the Asian Games organizers whether the country will be sanctioned if a team is withdrawn for failing to win as required.   “The deadline for submission of names is August, while the Seaba (Southeast Asian basketball championships) is in October,” he said. “We need to have protection from any sanction not only to the NSA but also to the delegation.”   Meanwhile, the Asiad joint task force will meet today to discuss the country’s preparation for the Guangzhou Games.   Romasanta will head the POC panel along with technical committee members Moying Martelino and Clarito Samson while new PSC chair Richie Garcia has yet to choose the members of the PSC group.