With little time left to prepare, top basketball officials responded to a strong and popular clamor and changed their minds again as they decided to send a Philippine basketball team to the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
Organizers in Indonesia were quick to respond to a request that was forwarded Sunday afternoon, allowing the Philippines to send a 12-man roster to the quadrennial meet.
And this time, not just the core of the Rain or Shine team will go, but players from seven other ballclubs have been included.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas, who is also the Chairman of the PBA board, said many team owners decided to give in to clamors from basketball fans.
“There was a strong clamor from our basketball fans. And since, we are a house of basketball, we wanted to take a look at it and understand the clamor,” said Vargas during a press conference yesterday evening at the Araneta Coliseum.
Basketball officials made their decision known a few minutes before the start of the Game 5 finals between San Miguel Beer and Ginebra San Miguel in the PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Vargas, who was later shown a letter of approval from Indonesian organizers by POC secretary-general Patrick Gregorio, said eight team owners heeded the call to support the team upon the advise of San Miguel's Alfrancis Chua on the selection process.
At the same time, they considered the appeal of Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, who talked to PBA officials not as President Duterte's adviser, but as an avid basketball fan.
Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas president Alfredo Panlilio said he has come to realize that their decision was unpopular when they made it two weeks ago.
“It was a very difficult and complex decision we made. It was unpopular and there was a clamor from the public,” stated Panlilio.
Coach Yeng Guiao, who has been tasked to handle the selection of the national squad, said they will start training by Monday morning.
The team that he will be working on will be made of players who form the core of the Rain or Shine team.
But, this time, players from other ballclubs will now be allowed to play.
With Caloy Garcia as assistant coach, the core squad from ROS will include Maverick Ahanmisi, Chris Tiu, Gabe Norwood, James Yap, Beau Belga and Raymund Almazan.
The other reinforcements are Stanley Pringle (Global Port), Paul Lee (Magnolia), JP Eram (Blackwater), Don Trollano (TNT), Christian Standhardinger (San Miguel) and Asi Taulava (NLEX).
Two players from the Gilas Cadets, Ricci Rivero and Kobe Paras, are also among the aspirants.
