Puyat slams Lim for severing ties with PBA

Two-time FIBA president Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat II yesterday slammed Graham Lim "for destroying the bridge of friendship and cooperation" he built with the PBA in 1990 by deciding to let the BAP go it alone in the formation of the national team to all international tournaments, including the Asian Games and ABC.

"There were several disagreements before we (BAP and PBA) finally got together," Puyat recalled. "Now that the partnership is working well, why would Lim, whose Filipino citizenship is under serious question, suddenly cut it?"

Puyat stressed that RP’s only hope of making it back to the Olympic Games and World Basketball Championships rests on the success of the national team in the ABC and Asian Games.

"Sadly, we cannot expect to succeed unless the PBA, which boasts the best players in the land, supports our Asiad and ABC campaigns," added Puyat.

The long-time BAP president said Lim’s tie-up with Cebuana Lhuillier, which has reportedly bankrolled BAP projects to the tune of millions of pesos, "does not guarantee the formation of a team strong enough to help us reclaim our Asian cage dominance."

"We need the PBA. We need the help of all basketball stakeholders in the country. We need to unite and make personal sacrifices," Puyat stressed. "But Graham (Lim) seems unaware of his responsibility as a cage official. He appears bent on destroying basketball."

Sen. Robert, a former superstar who was appointed coach of the 1990 RP team by Puyat as a result of the BAP-PBA tie-up, called Lim’s decision "pure fantasy" while PBA Chairman Buddy Encarnado said Lim must not forget that he’s responsible not only to the BAP but the country as well.

Puyat said there’s still time for Lim to rethink his decision. "He still has time to turn around, unless, of course, he’s committed his decision to his moneyed sponsor."