Tiny’s big decision

Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) president Quintelliano (Tiny) Literal has spoken. He wants a Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) selection – reinforced by Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) stars – to represent the country at the Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, next year. Tiny’s idea is to enlist six MBA and six PBA players. But who’ll coach the team?

Tiny, of course, has the right to determine who goes and who doesn’t to the Asian Games. He’s the big boss. No basketball team may wear the national colors in an International Basketball Federation (FIBA)-sanctioned tournament without his go-signal.

It’s no secret that Tiny is indebted to the MBA for its unflinching support of his leadership. Nothing wrong with that. Whenever Tiny has asked for MBA players to suit up for the national team, he’s never been turned down. Since taking over the BAP late last year, Tiny has called on the MBA to represent the country at the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championships, the Jones Cup, and the recent Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

When Tiny’s leadership was challenged by Gonzalo (Lito) Puyat, the MBA stood firmly behind him. The PBA, incidentally, took Puyat’s side in the squabble. Literal was eventually confirmed as BAP president by FIBA and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

Clearly, Tiny doesn’t want to disappoint his MBA backers who’ve been loyal to him. For Tiny to ignore the MBA in accrediting the national team for the coming Asian Games would be an act of ingratitude.

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But the PBA wants full authority in selecting the players for the national team in Pusan. Since the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, the PBA has represented the country in the quadrennial event under an agreement with the BAP. The PBA has not only lent its players but also bankrolled their participation in the last three Asian Games.

The PBA’s position is understandable. It wants to be in total control of the national team – from choosing the coach to picking the players – to make sure no stone is left unturned in preparing for war.

The competition in the Asian Games is fierce. What the MBA All-Stars faced at the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur is nothing in comparison. China will be in Pusan to defend the Asian title. Expect South Korea to go all out to dethrone China on its homecourt. There’s a possibility that a unified Korea will carry the flag – so that widens the base from which to choose its national players. Then there’s Lebanon, runner-up in the recent Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championships in Shanghai.

If the Philippines hopes to make an impact in Pusan, the national team must be well-prepared and single-minded. It cannot be distracted by political wrangling among basketball leaders. It must also be composed of the country’s best players. Forget debts of gratitude. Forget paying back favors. The mission in Pusan is daunting – to restore the Philippines back to prominence as an Asian basketball power.

Since the PBA is considered the premier league in the country, Tiny should abide by the existing

BAP agreement to yield to the pro league the full authority of assembling the national team for Pusan. The PBA should name the national coach who will then choose the players to wear the country’s colors.

Whether the team will be a 50-50 mix of MBA and PBA players is up to the coach. That’s not Tiny’s call. Neither is it the PBA’s. The coach will decide which players he can rely on to execute his gameplan – regardless of league, creed, or color.

No doubt, MBA players deserve to be considered for the national team, too. Romel Adducul, John Ferriols, Chris Calaguio, Omanzie Rodriguez, Eddie Laure, and Chito Victolero are among the MBA stars who should be in contention for slots on the national squad.

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A popular former national player said recently that China – despite the presence of Wang Zhizhi, Yao Ming, and Batere Menk – can be beaten in Pusan. The key, he explained, is rebounding. "We need players who can compete for rebounds, give us second chance opportunities," the star elaborated. "China is deadliest when it controls the rebounds because that’s how it scores in transition. But with guys like Eric (Menk), Asi (Taulava), and Chris (Jackson), we’ll give China a good fight off the boards."

The veteran internationalist singled out 10 shoo-ins for the national team – Menk, Taulava, Jackson, Danny Seigle, Andy Seigle, Danny Ildefonso, Kenneth Duremdes, Noy Castillo, Olsen Racela, and Johnny Abarrientos. He said the last two players should be picked from among Dennis Espino, Marlou Aquino, Jun Limpot, Jeffrey Cariaso, DaVonn Harp, and Rudy Hatfield.

"We won’t need a scoring point guard because we’ll have lots of scorers – we’ll need a thinking point guard," he added.

The former national player’s choices are excellent. But why not try out Ali Peek, Boyet Fernandez, Adducul, and Calaguio, too? The team needs more wide bodies to box out China’s giants and more long-range shooters to spread the defense.

So who should be the national coach? The choices are Ron Jacobs (the last national coach to savor the sweet taste of victory over China at the ABC Championships in 1986), Tim Cone (who learned valuable lessons from his first experience at the Bangkok Asian Games), Yeng Guiao (who took underdog Red Bull to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title this year), Joseph Uichico (the PBA’s 2000 Coach of the Year), and Boysie Zamar (who piloted the Philippines to the SEA Games gold medal in K.L.)

Tiny shouldn’t be beholden to any league – the PBA or the MBA. He should be beholden only to the Filipino people who deserve nothing less than the best basketball team the country can assemble for Pusan.