PBA chair wants Gilas in Gov Cup

MANILA, Philippines - PBA board chairman Ramon Segismundo has formally endorsed Gilas Pilipinas as the 11th team in the season-ending Governors Cup, but gave his fellow board members time to study the proposal.

Segismundo, among the proponents of more window period of training for the World Cup-bound national team, hoped he could get feedback from the board by April.

In an earlier resolution, the board approved the re-amendment of the PBA season calendar giving Gilas Pilipinas a month and a half of preparation for the world joust late this year in Spain.

However, there are ongoing dialogues and discussions aimed at allowing the Nationals to play as the 11th team in the third conference as part of the latter’s World Cup buildup.

Segismundo himself made the proposal to the board in their meeting yesterday in the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.

In the same meeting, commissioner Chito Salud formally informed the board of the intention of three – Ever Bilena (Blackwater Sports), Columbian Autocar Corp. (Team KIA) and NLEX to join the PBA by next season.

NLEX, another major company under the MVP Group, sent its own letter of intent to join the PBA via expansion Wednesday. 

Salud said the time line for the approval of the application of the three prospective PBA expansion ball clubs will be in April.

The league chieftain said they will now start to look at the corporate structure and financial capability of Ever Bilena, Columbian Autocar and NLEX. Then they make the proposal to the PBA board.

All three bidders have expressed readiness to buy a PBA expansion franchise now pegged at P100 million.

If ever the MVP Group would have a third team in the local pro league after Talk n Text and Meralco.

NLEX is a super power in the PBA D-League having won five of six tourneys so far.

Blackwater Sports is a one-time PBA D-League champ while Team KIA is starting from scratch.