PBA to decide fate of Giles, Gilas 5

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Basketball Association is likely to bar C.J. Giles from playing for Smart Gilas for the rest of its guest stint in the KFC Philippine Cup after the top prospect for naturalization missed two games in the ongoing conference.

Another option is for Giles to be allowed to return to the Smart Gilas roster but their games reduced to tune-up matches and whose results would have no bearing in the tournament.

The PBA board has drawn up these options as Smart Gilas remains uncertain when Giles would return after going back to the US to attend to his ailing four-year-old son Jaden.

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios will decide on Giles’ fate before the Smart Gilas-Coca-Cola match at the Cuneta Astrodome on Nov. 6.

“It’s up to the commissioner, but I think the Smart Gilas’ matches will continue to have bearing on the team standings. We’ve beaten them in a game where we lost our team captain for the rest of the season. It’s a costly game and it’s one win already for us,” said PBA board chairman Lito Alvarez.

Giles played against Burger King before sitting out their next two games against Talk n Text and Barangay Ginebra.

“Giles and two other key Smart Gilas players (Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Chris Tiu) didn’t play against Talk n Text which is practically a sister team. It would be unfair if they play full force against the other teams,” said a league governor refusing to be identified.

Meanwhile, reigning champion Talk n Text, unbeaten in three starts, faces an acid test today as it clashes with Fiesta Conference titlist San Miguel Beer in the KFC Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters and the Beermen figure in a duel of champions at 7:30 p.m. succeeding the 5 p.m. tiff between Barako Bull and Rain or Shine.

The Texters, toughened up by a series of overseas training during the off-season, have been impressive in the early goings of the all-Filipino tourney, winning their first three games by a whopping average margin of 19.7 points.

But coach Chot Reyes and his chargers themselves expect a tough fight against the Beermen.

“We’re on a good start largely because of our defensive efforts, but I guess the real proof of our defensive pudding is our next game,” said Reyes referring to their game against the Beermen.

The Beermen, still in the process of gaining chemistry with their re-tooled lineup, have just nailed their first win in the tourney, drubbing the Burger King Whoppers, 117-95, last Wednesday.

San Miguel lost its first two matches to Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk.