Task force to resolve nat’l cage team roster today

For the second time in seven days, the country’s major stakeholders in basketball will gather as they continue to look for the most logical answer as to which team should represent the country in the SEABA Championship in June and the SEA Games in November.

Members of the RP Basketball Committee, which was formed during a breakthrough meeting last Tuesday, will once again convene at the Makati residence of Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco at 2 this afternoon.

Joey Romasanta, who was named secretary-general of the committee tasked to assist the Basketball Association of the Philippines in charting the future of local basketball, said "all options are still open" regarding the brewing issue on the selection of the RP team.

The composition of the RP team that was supposed to see action in the forthcoming tournaments was severely questioned after the squad, managed by Cebuana Lhuillier and coached by Boyzie Zamar, lost to the Parañaque Jets in the recent finals of the NBC tournament.

The stunning loss put in question the country’s capability to win the SEABA tournament in Singapore, which is a qualifying for next year’s ABC Championship in Qatar, and the SEA Games gold, considering that the biennial event will be held in the country in November.

Zamar, however, recently came up with a statement that the Cebuana Lhuillier team can win it all — both the SEABA and SEA Games. The only question that remains, he added, is "by how many points."

The PBL, through commissioner Chino Trinidad, has offered its services, saying it’s willing to form a select team just for the SEABA or the SEA Games. He has named 27 players who will make up the pool if and when it is needed.

Cojuangco, however, batted for a PBA team just to ensure victory in the two tournaments and erase any doubts that the Philippines is no longer the region’s best when it comes to basketball.

"In conjunction with the BAP, the committee will discuss what is best for the Philippine team to the SEABA and the SEA Games. Hopefully, we can come up with a strong team that will represent the country," Romasanta said yesterday.

"We will evaluate the situation and consider all options. All options here are welcome. What’s important is that we have a unified effort for a strong and common program in basketball," added Romasanta.