SEABA team issue goes to SBP board

The issue about who’s calling the shots and the composition of the RP team to the SEABA championship could well be elevated to the SBP executive board with the pro sector and selection committee having conflicting views on the matter.

But even as the issue unsettled, national coach Chot Reyes said he was to meet his staff last night to finalize the lineup of his all-pro team to be announced in a press conference tomorrow,

"I was told to make the list now," said Reyes on orders given by the PBA board of governors.

Reyes was earlier advised by the five-man selection committee, composed of PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad, UAAP’s Junjun Capistrano, Air21 president Lito Alvarez, Tanduay top honcho Wilson Young and BAP’s Christian Tan, to just name one of his assistants that will handle a composite team to SEABA.

"I am also for an all-pro team, the best possible team that we can field, the SEABA being an important tournament of qualifying to the Olympics. However, upon the voting of the committee, I was outvoted. But I think this issue can still be raised to the executive committee of the SBP. A resolution can be made," said Capistrano.

The PBA board invoked a certain provision in the SBP by-laws that would empower them to handle the formation, training and actual participation of the RP team in this year’s SEABA.

Even SBP president Manny Pangilinan has expressed his preference for an all-pro team.

"I’ll stick my neck out. I’ve expressed my views to them (selection committee) that the Philippines is participating internationally for the first time in a long while. Secondly, to remove any item of uncertainty that we may not win, because you can’t discount the fact that other ASEAN nations are probably beefing up their own national teams. So why take the chance," said Pangilinan.

"Of course the selection committee has its own prerogative. So I think we have to check and work it out what is really the best solution," Pangilinan added. – Nelson Beltran