PBA open to play in Spain

SEVILLE – PBA commissioner Chito Salud said the other day the pro league could play regular season games in Spain if a local promoter is able to mobilize Filipino support for the project. “The first thing is to find a host or promoter,” he said. “We could do regular season games, not exhibitions, and/or we could play local Spanish clubs. The idea is to bring the game to where Filipinos are overseas. We’ll need to determine the center of the Filipino population in Spain. We want it to be a profitable venture for the local promoter.”

Salud said like every Filipino, he’s proud of how Gilas battled at the World Cup. “Now, we know we can compete at a high level,” he said. “We should continue to build on this, no letdowns. Despite not qualifying for the next round, we were competitive. We fought until the end, we never gave up. Physically, we’re not as big as the world’s best teams but we never backed down. If we improve on our outside shooting, we’ll be up there with the best.”

Salud said on Sept. 18, the PBA will decide if the 40th season opening is a go at the 55,000- seat Philippine Arena in Bulacan. Incoming PBA chairman Patrick Gregorio said he’d like to start his term on a high note. Last month, the PBA had an ocular inspection of the facility and was impressed by the sound, lighting and seating systems. On Sept. 18, the PBA will make a second ocular inspection, this time to determine the standards of the newly laid-out basketball hardwood and goals.

“The scoreboard will be reflected on the two giant screens,” said Gregorio. “The arena is like an amphitheater. The stage or the basketball court is on one end and behind it is a retractable section of about 2,000 seats. We are excited about the possibility of the arena’s first commercial venture and it will be a PBA doubleheader.”          The inaugural is set Oct. 19 with expansion teams Kia Motors and Blackwater facing off in the first game and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel taking on Talk ‘N’ Text in the second.

Gregorio said Kia Motors will transport some 10,000 fans to the Philippine Arena using 200 buses of affiliate company Philtranco. “We understand that Kia plans to provide transportation for fans with free tickets to the PBA games whenever their team plays,” said Gregorio. “This will introduce a new market to the PBA and we welcome this development.”

Regarding Gilas, Salud said the PBA is committed to support the SBP’s elite program and will continue to be flexible in accommodating the national team in preparing for the FIBA Asia qualifying tournament to determine Asia’s representative to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“Our commitment has been clear from the start,” said Salud who presided in a review of last season’s performance with the PBA Board of Governors at the Hotel Melia Lebreros here Wednesday. Beyond the 2016 Olympics, Salud said he will study the implications of the new qualifying system for the World Cup to kick in starting the 2019 edition. The new system will feature a two-year qualifying cycle that cuts into the schedule of leagues all over the world, including the PBA and NBA.

“We understand the mechanics of the new system are still being worked out,” said Salud. “Once, the mechanics are finalized, we will review. September may be the best month to hold the qualifiers so there is no conflict in our schedule and it will also be during the NBA offseason.” September will be one of the months for the qualifying windows in the two- year cycle.

Salud said the Board’s presence in Spain is an indication of the league’s all-out support. “Even before we qualified for the World Cup in August last year, the Board had already decided to

hold its review of the season’s performance and planning session in Spain in case we make it,” he continued.

Salud said he was pleasantly surprised that the Philippines more than held its own against the planet’s powerhouses at the World Cup.     He said now that Filipinos have showcased their skills on the global stage, it’s possible scouts will explore possibilities of placing players in European leagues or even in the NBA.

“We play in a very intense league, 10 1/2 months of the year,” said Salud. “It’s practically a year-round league. Our players go out there to give their best day in, day out for the fans. At the World Cup, our players played their hearts out because they’re used to doing it in the PBA. Intensity-wise, we proved to be at par with the best in the world. What I’d like to see in our grassroots program is a focus on outside shooting which is a key in the international game. We need to develop more outside shooters. Driving in to score shouldn’t be our first option. Grade school and high school players, young kids learning to play, should be taught how to shoot. It’s a skill that is very important if we want to progress internationally.”

Salud said Gilas’ performance has taken the world by surprise. “We’re very happy and very proud,” he went on. “I think we caught our opponents by surprise, like Croatia, Argentina and Puerto Rico. We’re undersized but we gave teams a lot of headaches.”

Salud said the whole team overachieved, singling out Marc Pingris, Jimmy Alapag and JuneMar Fajardo as among the players who played beyond their limits. “Everyone played his best and surprised the world,” he said. “I think (Andray) Blatche is a good fit for us but he’s still adjusting to his teammates. It’s for Andray to adjust, not the other way around. It looks like he’s getting along with his teammates. I see him as a big Sean Chambers.”