Gilas cadet revival to benefit PBA

MANILA, Philippines – The revival of the Gilas Pilipinas cadet program will have an immediate impact on the coming 2016 PBA Rookie Draft but it will be beneficial to the pro league in the long haul.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas vice- president Al Panlilio said that with various developments on the staging of international competititons by the Fiba and the conflict they would cause on the scheudle of the pro league: “something has to give.”

“It’s a common problem across the globe brought about by the new FIBA calendar. We thought at the SBP that the best way to solve the problem is to create a cadet team focused entirely to train and participate in the international tourneys,” Panlilio told The STAR.

“We have no real choice,” said Panlilio, citing the new FIBA setup with home-and-away games running smack in the schedule of the local pro league.

Panlilio, the Meralco senior vice president who represents the company in the PBA board, believes the SBP plan will get the support of the pro league.

“I’m in talks with (PBA commissioner) Chito (Narvasa). I will sit down with him to discuss the SBP plan,” said Panlilio.

The PBA board has long been batting for the program to end the so-called “pick-up system” in selecting players for the national team..

Former PBA commissioner Chito Salud and current PBA board chairman Robert Non, earlier agreed that the league could sacrifice the PBA draft for SBP to form a pool of players from among promising amateurs.

For in the end, these players will eventually end up in the PBA.

“The PBA will benefit as the league will get quality players in the end. This was the case with the original Gilas team,” said Panlilio.

Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Jvee Casio, Mark Barroca, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Chris Tiu and Mac Baracael were blue-chip prospects when they finally joined the PBA draft.

Among those being groomed to the new cadet pool are Kiefer Ravena, Mac Belo, Kevin Ferrer, Roger Pogoy, Cris Mike Tolomia, Jiovani Jalalon and Von Pessumal.

The new FIBA format features various tournaments whose schedule may affect the PBA if pro players will continue to form the national team in these international forays.

But Panlilio said the SBP is not closing the door on PBA players. “That’s always an option,” he said.

It’s an option taken by the SBP during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the 2011 FIBA Asia where pro players Asi Taulava, Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams were tapped to reinforce the Gilas team of coach Rajko Toroman.

Outgoing SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan has three PBA ball clubs under his giant conglomerate – Tropang TNT, Meralco and NLEX. Reinforcements will always be available from these teams.