PBA - RP Team in 2013

It’s been a week after the FIBA-Asia had ended, but the preparation for the next FIBA Asia qualifier is now getting attention on every corner of Philippine basketball world.
We already heard MVP that he will continue supporting the National Team even if it takes forever. We also heard that PBA is open to help the SBP in its quest for another run just to qualify for the next Olympics in 2014.

But yesterday, in the AKTV website, an article posted there that PBA will lend 16 players for the RP National Team for the FIBA championship. In this very moment that the Smart Gilas earned 4th place finish in the recent FIBA in Wuhan, Commissioner Salud is now open to lend his 16 players for the next FIBA qualifier. Why Mr. Salud? After you dumped the request of Toroman to borrow some of your players (except MVP teams) to play for the flag, you are now willing to lend 16 players?

One of the factors (I think) that Salud agreed to have a 16 man pool for the RP team in 2013 is because he wants to prove that PBA players is a lot capable of earning a spot for the 2014 Olympics, that he can surpass what Smart Gilas achieved in the last 3 years.

However, I’m still not in favor of creating an all PBA RP team because of the following reasons: 1. Because of the three conference format in the PBA right now, the training of the players might be affected because of the rigid schedule of the PBA; 2. I think some of our players who might be chosen to represent the country won’t “play their best” because of some injuries they might experience in the long run and their “fat contract” will be at stake; 3. If this will be a all PBA RP Team, what will happen to the system installed by Toroman to the old Gilas team? For sure they will go back to zero again, chemistry and familiarity will suffer and the worst, Toroman won’t be their coach anymore; and lastly, how will the team owners react when their star players will be loaned to the RP Team?

It is ok for the PBA to help the National Team for its bid to qualify for the 2014 Olympics, but an all PBA team is a no-no for this time. We have already seen the improvement of our Gilas core in Wuhan. The only thing that the PBA will do is to “fix” the flaw in the system and not to ruin it.

I believe that the best formula for the 2013 FIBA Asia is: Old Gilas Core + PBA players + Amateur players + Douthit. Simple formula to success.