Romero lends a hand to RP cagebelles

Harbour Centre team owner Mikee Romero’s financial assistance to the Philippine basketball team to the coming Southeast Asian Games will not be limited to the P10 million he had earlier pledged. 

Harbour Centre team manager Erick Arejola said in yesterday’s SCOOP session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura that Romero is even willing to extend his help to the financially-troubled women’s squad.

Arejola said that Romero will fund the national men’s team stint in the Brunei Cup on the last week of August as part of its preparation to ensure the country’s title victory. 

Plans are also in the works for a stint in Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei in hopes of winning a  gold medal in the SEA Games after the sport’s absence in the 2005 edition.

“It is not final yet but that is the plan,” said Arejola in the forum sponsored by ACCEL and TeleTech.

Women’s national coach Fritz Gaston confirmed Harbour Centre’s support to the women’s basketball team for the SEA Games.

“We had already talked with Mr. Romero yesterday (Thursday) and he assured us of his support,” said Gaston, who appeared as guest in the public service forum along with assistant coach Pat Esmundo, men’s mentor Junel Baculi and team members Jerwin Gaco, Rob Sanz and Beau Belga. 

Baculi, for his part, said tryouts for the men’s squad have been going on and so far he and members of his coaching staff had cut the candidates down to 15 where, he added, the official lineup of 12 will come from.

All 15 he said, will join the trip to Brunei.