PBL, PBA hinikayat ng BAPI

Hiniling ni Basketball Association of the Philippines, Inc. (BAPI) secretary general Nic Jorge noong Lunes sa Philippine Basketball Association at sa Philippine Basketball League na direktang makipag-ugnayan sa kanila para sa pagbuo ng national team sa hinaharap kaugnay ng kanilang inilagay na proposal sa ilalim ng ‘basketball superbody.’

Ayon kay Jorge, ang naturang superbody ay inihalintulad nila sa ilalim ng USA Basketball format kung saan ang lahat ng liga at stakeholders sa sports ay magkakaroon ng kani-kanilang kinatawan sa BAPI, at ang PBA at PBL ang pangunahin nilang kukuhanan ng mga manlalaro para makabuo ng kompetitibong koponan na ilalahok sa Olympics, Asian Basketball Championship, Asian Games at sa Southeast Asian Games.

Sa ilalim ng proposal ni Jorge, ang nasabing dalawang premier leagues ay magsisimula ng magbuo ng kani-kanilang teams–ayon sa sarili rin nilang plano at kalendaryo, apat na taon bago magsimula ang tourna-ments, sinabi ni Jorge magkakaroon ng sapat na oras ang koponan at ang kani-kanilang coaches para makabuo ng isang malakas na squad na siyang tuluyang wawasak sa kamalasan ng basketball sa Olympics.

"The last time we qualified in the Olympics was in 1972 in Munich and we have been thirsting for another team to make it to the apex of sports competitions," ani Jorge. "We should not content ourselves with victories in the SEA Games, which are the lowest rank in sports competitions."

"The BAPI’s focus now is to put Philippine basketball back on track, with the help of all stakeholders under a new umbrella that would ber the ‘superbody’," dagdag pa ni Jorge.

Samantala, pinasalamatan rin ni Jorge ang PBA at PBL dahil sa kanilang mainit na pagtanggap sa kanyang proposal at nagsabi ng "All is not in this fight. We’ve won in the court, despite the many obstacles we have faced, and from all indications, there is a possibility that we all could bond together to make things work out for Philippine basketball."

Nagsasagawa na rin si Jorge ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga nangungunang liga sa bansa na kinabibilangan ng University Athletic Association of the Philippines, National Collegiate Athletic Associations at University and Colleges Athletic Association. Marami ring provincial leagues ang nagpahayag ng kanilang suporta sa plano ng BAPI.