BAP-SBP forming team for SEABA

The composition of the national team to the coming Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) championship could well be known Monday when BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan meets with the PBA board of governors at the PLDT office in Makati.

Also invited to the meeting is coach Chot Reyes, who has drawn up three options for the training of the RP team for the FIBA-Asia championship in July in Japan. (Related story on A-28)

One of the options is to immediately put together an all-pro team to be fielded in both the SEABA and the FIBA-Asia championships.

However, the original SBP charter only calls for the pro league to take care of the RP team participation in elite tourneys or the FIBA-Asia championship and up

Reyes said the Philippines is now pressed for time – the main reason why he wants to immediately name the team and train them all the way through the FIBA-Asia joust, which is the regional qualifier for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Both Pangilinan and PBA board chair Ricky Vargas have expressed their inclinations to send the best team to SEABA.

"The situation we’re in is far from ideal. So we’re trying to figure out situation which could give us the best chance to qualify for the 2008 Olympics," said Reyes.

Under the original SBP charter, a five-man committee – composed of three SBP board members representing the commercial sector and two representing the school sector – is to draw up the battle plan for the SEABA.

"We’re awaiting notice from the SBP that would empower the PBA to do the preparation for SEABA," said Noli Eala.

"We’re looking at our schedule. We’re looking at teams which could help the national team. We’re catching up because our focus really is to make the Olympics," Eala added. – Nelson Beltran