Eala insists Chot, pros SEABA-bound

PBA commissioner Noli Eala stressed coach Chot Reyes and an all-pro team will represent the country in the SEABA championship, invoking a provision in the BAP-SBP by-laws giving the pro sector the jurisdiction over the formation of the RP team to the regional tourney this year.

Eala said they have informed BAP-SBP president Manny Pangilinan that the PBA is exercising its prerogative to handle the team to the SEABA joust slated in May.

The PBA commissioner said Reyes is to announce the composition of the team in a press conference on Saturday.

The Nationals will be pulled out of their mother teams in the PBA Fiesta Cup, allowing them to concentrate in their training for the team tasked to earn berth on the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Citing a provision in the BAP-SBP by-laws, Eala said the PBA is authorized to handle the formation, training and actual participation of the RP team to the coming SEABA event.

"Paraphrasing the article, it says the formation of the national team to the elite tourneys, including the FIBA-Asia championship which is the qualifier for the Olympics, and all qualifying tournaments for the elite championships shall be handled by the pro sector," Eala told The STAR.

"The only thing to be determined is whether the PBA is willing to do the job, and the PBA had decided to do it," Eala also said.

At the same time, Eala suggested the selection committee should focus on the team makeupfor Southeast Asian Games late this year.

"They’re tasked to form the team for the SEA Games and they should focus on that now," said Eala.

The selection committee, composed of PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad, Air21 president Lito Alvarez, Tanduay president Wilson Young, UAAP’s Junjun Capistrano and BAP’s Christian Tan, drew their own battle plan for the SEABA Monday.

They called on Reyes to appoint the person who will handle the national team. – Nelson Beltran