FIBA head’s $.5M offer

FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball) president Carl Meng-Ky Ching of Hong Kong has offered a reward of $500,000 if China wins the Stankovic Cup that started last Tuesday and ends today in Beijing.

That’s a cool half a million in greenbacks on the table for the boys.

I wonder if Ching will make a similar offer if the Philippines wins the Jones Cup which also ends today in Taipei.

Whether the Philippines will be in contention for the championship depends on its game against Chinese-Taipei at 8 last night. The result was still not available as this was being written. A Philippine victory will mean the winner of the game between the Philippines and Passing Lane Sports of the US captures the crown outright tonight. A Philippine loss will deliver the title to Passing Lane Sports, no matter the outcome of tonight’s contest.

Ching, incidentally, holds the key to the Philippines’ fate as a contender in the FIBA-Asia Championships.

The Philippines lost the chance to qualify for the FIBA-Asia joust in Doha this September when it was suspended indefinitely because of internal squabbling. Last June, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) expelled the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) as a member of its General Assembly and withdrew recognition as the National Sports Association (NSA) for basketball. The POC subsequently recognized the newly organized Philippine Basketball Federation as the NSA for the sport and accepted it as a member of the General Assembly.

The hitch is FIBA continues to recognize the BAP as its country affiliate. Because of the confusion, FIBA decided to suspend the Philippines from participating in its sanctioned competitions, including the FIBA-Asia Championships and the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

PBF president Moying Martelino said he will try to convince FIBA to lift the suspension and recognize the PBF as its new country affiliate.

BAP officials, however, are determined to block Martelino’s attempt. The speculation is FIBA will not lift the suspension until and unless the opposing Philippine parties agree to a settlement. For as long as the dispute remains, it’s likely the suspension will not be lifted, meaning FIBA will desist from adjudicating what is clearly an internal political quarrel.

What is disheartening and exasperating is the fact that Filipinos are stabbing themselves in the back at the country’s expense. Neither the POC nor the BAP is backing down. Too much personal pride is in the equation.

The BAP is holding the entire country hostage because it still enjoys FIBA recognition, never mind if the Philippines is suspended for life. BAP officials are blaming the POC for the mess but the fact is the expulsion was the result of their own doing. Without POC and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) recognition, the BAP is facing a blank wall. Yet the BAP stubbornly refuses to go away.

Perhaps, the solution to the problem is herding the top officials of the POC and BAP in a room, locking them inside and not opening the door until a settlement is reached. The question is who will be influential enough to summon the officials to a meeting and force them to resolve their differences once and for all?

As for Ching, the FIBA president said he would pay the bonus out of his own pocket.

The Stankovic Cup features six teams–Olympic gold medalist Argentina, Oceania champion Australia, African champion Angola, Asian champion China, European champion Lithuania and North American second placer Puerto Rico.

Manu Ginobili and Yao Ming are not playing in the tournament at the Capital Stadium. Chinese captain Li Nan, suffering from a knee injury, is also sitting out the games.

China got off to a rousing start by edging Angola, 62-61, then lost a 68-66 decision to Lithuania but rebounded to upset Puerto Rico, 91-80.

Yao, who recently underwent minor arthroscopic surgery in the knee, said he expects to lead China to a medal finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

China is now coached by Lithuanian Jonas Kazlauskas.

In the Jones Cup, Passing Lane is the only unbeaten team entering the final day of competitions.

The American selection has beaten Australia, 85-64, Taiwan, 95-74, Kazakhstan, 88-78, Japan, 105-83, South Korea, 110-88, Samara of Russia, 101-70 and Qatar, 93-91. Passing Lane was expected to rout India yesterday to preserve its unbeaten record.

Passing Lane is made up of US college standouts with experience as imports in international leagues. Leading the charge is former Washington Wizards guard God Shammgod of Providence. Other mainstays are 6-9 Nigerian Reggie Okosa of La Salle, 6-5 Terrance Johnson of Pepperdine, 6-6 Steffon Bradford of Nebraska and 6-10 Marcus Dothuit of Providence.

At the recent Global Hoops Summit in Las Vegas, Passing Lane beat the Philippines by nine. Will lightning strike twice tonight or will coach Chot Reyes gain sweet revenge on the Americans?