RP all-pro team for SEABA likely

The Philippine Basketball Association is likely to heed the clamor to send an all-pro team to the coming SEABA championship although the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has yet to make a final decision on the matter pending a conference of the BAP-SBP selection committee.

After a meeting with the PBA group Monday night, BAP-SBP president Manny Pangilinan is convening the BAP-SBP board members representing school and commercial sectors in a separate meeting today.

The group, composed of PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad, Michel Lhuillier, Wilson Young, Lito Alvarez, Bernie Atienza, Junjun Capistrano, Fritz Gaston and Christian Tan, is to name five persons who will seat in the selection committee, which will then chart the course of action for SEABA.

However, all indications point to the immediate formation of an all-pro team with the proximity, not only of the SEABA joust, but also the FIBA-Asia championship, which serves as the regional qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Under the BAP-SBP charter, the five-man selection committee is the authority in charting the course of action for SEABA and the Southeast Asian Games. But because of the non-ideal situation, everybody wants to put together the best team now," said PBA commissioner Noli Eala.

"In the situation where we’re in right now, the SEABA can be used as part of the training for the team going to FIBA-Asia. It’s an ideal setup," Eala added.

Eala, however, stressed the BAP-SBP leadership will consider all options in a bid to come up with an impressive performance by the national team upon its return to international play.

The Philippine Olympic Committee looks poised to give its recognition to BAP-SBP in its special meeting Friday. The International Basketball Federation has said it would lift its suspension of the country as soon as BAP-SBP gets its POC accreditation.