Gilas to decide PBA stint tomorrow

Manila, Philippines - A decision will be made tomorrow as to whether the Smart Gilas national team will play in the PBA Governors Cup and from all indications, it appears the squad will see action in no-bearing games only up the end of the single-round eliminations.

PBA commissioner Chito Salud confirmed the other day that the league has set a deadline of April 13 for Gilas to decide. The same deadline will apply for Toroman to submit a “wish list” of PBA players reinforcing the national team at the FIBA-Asia Championships in Wuhan, China, on Sept. 15-25.

Salud had earlier extended an “open invitation” for Gilas to play in the third conference which opens with two games in Dubai on June 2. The Governors Cup will begin its Manila schedule with a triplebill on June 8. The tournament will end Aug. 19 at the latest. The PBA draft is set Aug. 28.

A Gilas insider said two meetings were held last week to discuss the possibility of playing in the Governors Cup. Team owner Manny V. Pangilinan reportedly presided in the discussions that involved PBA governor Ricky Vargas, PBA alternate governor Patrick Gregorio, team manager Frankie Lim and Toroman.

The insider said it was not settled which PBA players to draft for the FIBA-Asia Championships. Toroman previously announced a wish list of 10 players – Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jimmy Alapag, Ryan Reyes, Asi Taulava, James Yap, Arwind Santos, Joe De Vance, Sonny Thoss and Jay Washington.

“It’s possible only three PBA players will be added to the lineup,” said the insider. “Dondon Hontiveros’ name came up in late discussions. But if only three players are to be requested from the PBA, they will probably be Williams, Alapag and Taulava.” Regarding Gilas’ participation in the Governors Cup, the insider said it was 50-50.

Salud said he was told that the inclination is for Gilas to play only up to the end of the eliminations in the Governors Cup to allow for participation in the Jones Cup in Taipei in August. That means the team will play no-bearing games with its PBA reinforcements. Salud also mentioned that with Gilas’ success in the Commissioner’s Cup, it’s likely Toroman will request less than five PBA players to beef up the roster.

Gilas is safely in the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals where the national team will face the winner of the Barangay Ginebra-Rain Or Shine quarterfinal series. The problem is naturalized player Marcus Douthit is down for at least two weeks with a possible fracture in the right hand. Douthit injured the hand during the first quarter of Gilas’ overtime loss to Meralco in Tacloban last April 2. The hand isn’t in a cast but Lim said Douthit has been advised to rest until the injury heals.

Toroman said Douthit will be reevaluated this coming week but at the moment, he’s not practicing with the team. As to Gilas’ participation in the Governors Cup, Toroman said nothing is final, not even the list of PBA reinforcements, but promised a decision by tomorrow.

Because of the hand injury, Douthit may miss up to the first three games of the best-of-five semifinals, giving either Barangay Ginebra or Rain Or Shine a huge lift.

The Governors Cup will set height limits for imports depending on how the PBA teams performed in the first and second conference eliminations, using a weighted average of 60 percent for the Philippine Cup and 40 percent for the Commissioner’s Cup. San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra, B-Meg and Talk ‘N’ Text will be allowed to recruit an import with a height limit of 6-2. Alaska, Air21, Meralco and Rain Or Shine will be allowed a limit of 6-4 while Powerade and Barako Bull, if it reactivates, a ceiling of 6-6.

The Governors Cup will start with a single-round elimination after which the top six finishers advance to play in the single-round semifinals carrying over their records. The top two semifinal placers advance to battle in a best-of-7 finals. A team that wins four of five semifinal games but fails to land in the top two because of a poor carryover record will gain a playoff for a finals slot against the No. 2 finisher.

If Gilas decides to play in the Governors Cup until the end of the eliminations, it will gain valuable experience generating chemistry with the holdovers and the PBA recruits moving towards the Jones Cup and eventually, the FIBA-Asia Championships.