SBP Advised to Follow Protocol

IF Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is serious in tapping pro players, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Chairman Lito Alvarez admonished SBP to follow protocol and communicate formally with PBA’s respective team officials. Instead of directly talking with media, Alvarez suggested SBP Executive Director Noli Eala should negotiate formally with team owners because if team owners refuse to lend their players, they can’t do anything about it.

“It’s all in the papers [newspapers],” aired Alvarez, also current team governor of Burger King. “There is no any written request if the SBP is requesting any possible PBA players to play with the Smart Gilas Pilipinas team.”

Based on PBA guidelines, team owners, governors and officials from the 10 teams have the sole right to their respective players if they will loan any of them to the national team.

A source, who refused to be named, said SBP high-ranking officials, led by President Manny V. Pangilinan, must be “organized in dealing with this delicate matter.”

Smart Gilas Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman was keen in tapping Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams, Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood and Talk ‘N Text’s Jared Dillinger to play for Smart Gilas in Guangzhou Asian Games.

Eala expressed the possibility of tapping PBA players or play all-Filipino in the Asian Games on November 12 to 27 this year after sending home ineffective Americans CJ Giles and Jamal Sampson, who were both candidates for naturalization before.

But there is no formal letter received yet by the PBA.

Coming from the pro league, Alvarez also said that Smart Gilas doesn’t need reinforcement.

“What they need right now is one dominant big man from fulfilling its goal in qualifying to the Olympics,” he said. “At the same time, they have their own system.”

Eala, on the other hand, said that newly appointed Smart Gilas team manager would go to US and look for another American big man to be naturalized in order to play for the national team in the future.

But the long process of naturalizing players may force Smart Gilas to play all-Filipino in the Asian Games.

Source: Josef Ramos  | The Manila Times

Sta. Lucia protests pressure from SBP

Sta. Lucia Realty team PBA governor Buddy Encarnado said Monday he sympathizes with the plight of the Smart-Gilas national team but he questioned the way how the top executives of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) conveyed their message to the team regarding plans to recruit one of Sta. Lucia’s top players.

SBP executive director Noli Eala told reporters the other day that he and Gilas coach Rajko Toroman would like to have Realtor Kelly Williams to shore up the team when Gilas begins its international campaign this year.

According to Encarnado, while he understands the predicament of Gilas, he said that by coming out in public without formal discussion with them puts direct pressure on the team.

He said there are many things to consider before a deal can be made to allow the 6-foot-7 Williams to play for the national team.

“I will discuss this first with management and to Kelly. I want to know their (Gilas) schedule,” Encarnado said. “From there we can probably see kung pwede. We have to balance siyempre yung team and yung pagiging patriotic natin.”

While he is open to discussion he said that by going to the press, the team and management feel some pressure.

“I’ve never talked to him (Eala) or coach Toroman,” Encarnado told the Bulletin in a phone interview.

“They’re putting pressure on us. All off a sudden, here they are coming out in public. Ayoko man tingnan ng ganun, pero may pressure na agad e.”

“I don’t think they want to pressure us, but the method... they’re feeling the waters. They should sit down with us first. Hindi ganito,” he added.

As much as SLR wants to help the national team, there are things that should be considered, like the calendar of events the RP team will be competing should not be in conflict with that of the PBA schedule and the kind of tournaments Gilas will be joining.

Eala reportedly wants Williams for this year’s Asian Games and the FIBA-Asia Championship next year, the qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympics.

Encarnado also said that there is an existing agreement between the PBA and the SBP that the SBP will not get any player from the pro league for the national team.

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin

SBP cites gains for 2009

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas cited the major strides which the country's basketball federation made this past year.

In a report to the SBP Board, SBP president and business mogul Manuel V. Pangilinan cited the following among the SBP highlights for the year 2009, namely:


• Affirmation of status of SBP as the duly recognized, officially sanctioned and legally existing National Sports Association (Federation) for basketball in the Philippines by the Supreme Court and FIBA through its FIBA Special Commission.

• Improvement of FIBA world ranking of the Philippines in all categories in an 8-month period, namely, from 63rd to 53rd in the Men’s category, and 53rd to 50th in the Women’s side. Overall combined, the Philippines is ranked 57th in FIBA and obtained an increase of 2.7 FIBA ranking points, 2nd only to Korea among FIBA Asia countries.

• Continued growth of the constituency and membership base of the SBP highlighted by an increase in Active Members from 19 in June 2008 to 35 in November 2009.

• Successfully staged National Youth programs (SBP 33 and National Junior Championship Qualifiers) and accreditation of coaches and referees nationwide.

• Appearance and respectable showing in all major FIBA Asia tournaments.

• Philippines has been granted one of 20 slots to the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 as an acknowledgement of our youth development program and the good standing in FIBA.

• Provided more opportunities for growth for players, referees and coaches as shown by dynamic working tie up with FIBA Asia to supply manpower resources to the Asean Basketball League.

• Increased corporate and government funding and assistance with new and dynamic partnerships with industry leaders like Smart Communications, PLDT, Unilab, International Pharmaceutical Inc., and GMA-7 .

Source: Manila Bulletin

Bigger challenges ahead

After weathering the storms in the year that was, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) gears up for tougher challenges in 2010.

“As we look forward to the new year, we must believe that 2010 will represent the true test of all our efforts to date when our Smart Gilas team will perform starting with international competition in the Middle East this coming January, culminating in the Asian Games in Guangdong in November,” SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan said in a statement.

“These competitions are what will really count,” he added.

The issue on the SBP’s legitimacy as the basketball federation in the country was finally laid to rest by a Supreme Court ruling. This was affirmed by the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Special Commission.

It finally put an end to its years of battle with the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP).

“It is imperative that we put this behind us, and move forward in strength and resolve. At the same time, the hard work put in by our members and constituents—from the grassroots level all the way to the international arena—is now starting to gain traction and produce some meaningful results,” said Pangilinan.

“But the most gratifying result has been one where our country has slowly regained the notice and respect of Fiba and the world basketball community.”

In an eight-month period, the Philippine men’s team jumped in the world rankings from 63 to 53, while the women’s side improved to 50th from 53rd spot.

The country’s continuous and impressive showing in the Fiba-sanctioned tournaments allowed the Philippines to improve by 2.7 points, the second-highest behind Korea (3.0) in Asia.

The men’s team, backed by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), finished a spot better in the Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship in Tianjin, China, in August.

Coached by Yeng Guiao, the squad finished eighth, one place higher than the Chot Reyes-mentored team in 2007 in Tokushima, Japan.

The Smart Gilas squad, being handled by Serbian coach Rajko Toroman, finished fifth in the Fiba-Asia Champion’s Cup in Jakarta in June.

The women’s team of coach Heidi Ong also had a respectable fourth-place showing in the Fiba-Asia Division II Women’s Championship in Chennai, India, in September.

The youth teams also performed above expectations this year.

The Under-16 women’s squad placed seventh in the Fiba-Asia U-16 Championship in Pune, India, early this month while coach Eric Altamirano’s U-16 men’s team reached the semifinals of the Fiba-Asia U-16 tournament in November in Malaysia.

“The Philippines has been granted one of 20 slots to the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 as an acknowledgement of our youth development program and good standing on Fiba,” said the SBP in a statement.

On internal matters, the SBP’s membership increased from 19 in June 2008 to 35 in November 2009.

The federation had also provided more opportunities for growth for players, referees and coaches by supplying manpower sources to the Asean Basketball League.

It also staged national youth programs like the SBP 33 and National Junior Championship qualifiers, and the accreditation of coaches and referees nationwide.

Source: BusinessMirror.com.ph

Yearender: MVP team calms storm, moves on

MANILA, Philippines - After a tumultuous 2008, Philippine basketball is back on its feet.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan cited the significant strides made by his management team this year in a yearend report to the SBP board.

The PLDT and Smart chair reported the “affirmation of the SBP as the duly recognized, officially sanctioned and legally existing national sports association for basketball in the Philippines by the Supreme Court and the FIBA or the World Basketball Federation through its Special Commission” as one of its most important accomplishments of the year.

“As we look back and review the events which transpired in 2009, it is comforting to note that the tumultuous events which threatened the legitimacy of the SBP have now been largely resolved,” said Pangilinan. “It is imperative that we put this behind us, and move forward in strength and resolve.”

“At the same time, the hard work put in by our members and constituents – from the grass roots level all the way to the international arena – is now starting to gain traction, and produce some meaningful results,” he added.


The man everybody calls MVP also cited the country’s improvement in both Asian and world basketball map as evidenced in the recent world rankings released by FIBA that saw RP’s mean’s team jump from 63rd eight months ago to 53rd entering 2010.

Overall, the country is ranked 57th by FIBA and obtained an increase of 2.7 FIBA ranking points, which happens to be second only to powerhouse Korea among Asian countries.

This was all because of RP’s various national teams in several major FIBA-Asia tournaments including a fifth place effort in the tough, import-laced fifth FIBA-Asia Champions Cup topped by heavy favorite Iran in Jakarta, Indonesia last May.

The country, represented by an all-pro squad, also finished a respectable eighth place in the Tianjin FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship ruled again by the Iranians.

The Philippines also ended up seventh in the FIBA-Asia Under-16 women’s championship, fourth in the FIBA-Asia Division II women’s championship, Under-16 men’s championship and the Asian Youth Games.

To put icing on the cake, the SBP was given one of the only 20 berths to the first World Youth Olympics in Singapore next year as an acknowledgment of SBP’s youth development program and good standing with FIBA.

Pangilinan, however, cited the formation of Smart Gilas Pilipinas, mentored by Serbian Rajko Toroman and composed of country’s finest collegiate players, geared towards an Olympic berth in the 2012 London Games as its biggest milestone.

“The most gratifying result has been one where our country has slowly regained the notice and respect of FIBA and the world basketball community,” said Pangilinan.

“As we look forward to the new year, we must believe that 2010 will represent the true test of all our efforts to date when our Smart Gilas team will perform starting with international competition in the Middle East this coming January, culminating in the Asian Games in Guangdong, China in November.

“These competitions are what will really count,” he added.

“The SBP also showed growth of its constituency and membership base from 19 membership in January last year to 35 last month while successfully staging national youth programs and accreditation of new coaches and referees nationwide.

“The SBP also provided more opportunities for growth for players, referees as well as coaches and increased corporate and government funding and assistance with new and dynamic partnerships with industry leaders like Smart Communications, PLDT, Unilab, International Pharmaceutical, Inc. and GMA-7,” he said.

Source: Philstar.com

SBP sees progress for Smart Gilas team next year

Despite the Smart-Gilas national team’s poor performance in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup as guest squad, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala expressed confidence that the Nationals will improve more when they play abroad next year.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m satisfied,” Eala said recently. “I think the team could have played better, our progress in the PBA is slow.”

The Philippine Team, which will see action in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, currently sports a 3-9 win-loss record in the PBA and will end its campaign when it battles Purefoods next week at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Nationals preparations suffered a major blow when the SBP’s first choice of import, CJ Giles, was dropped from the team because of several personal problems endured by the American.

Giles was replaced by another American import, Jamal Sampson, who played in the NBA for seven seasons. Sampson, a cousin of former NBA player Ralph Sampson signed a contract giving him at least $15,000 monthly salary. His total package for one year will cost the SBP approximately P9 million.

The 6-foot-11 Sampson, however, must be a naturalized citizen in order for him to play for the national team in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championship, the qualifying event for the 2012 London Games.

Sampson’s first game with the Nationals, however, was forgettable.

In a 91-96 loss to Barako Bull, Sampson, 26, was bothered by back pain that limited his production to only four points, two rebounds with four fouls in only 10 minutes of action. He did not play in the fourth quarter of that game.

According to Eala, there’s nothing to worry as far as Sampson’s back in concerned. Sampson left the country last December 17 and will return on January 2.

“He had no actual competitive games in a while. But he’ll get around. In practice we can see that he can really play and help the team,” Eala said, adding that Sampson will join the team in an invitational meet in Dubai as well as friendly games in Kuwait and Qatar.

“We only play once a week, we don’t get much game to help us get better, but the Middle East tour will surely help because we’ll get a lot of competitive games,” he said.

Eala said that they have to improve on playing team defense, which was their problem in their PBA stint.

“Our big men must get tougher, offensively we’re good. But it’s really on defense that we have to improve,” said Eala.

----note---

Smart Gilas will bring 15 players for the Middle East tour. They are Sampson, Aguilar, Lassiter, Chris Tiu, Mac Baracael, Dylan Ababou, Greg Slaughter, J. R. Cawaling, R. J. Jazul, Mark Barroca, Aldrech Ramos, Rabeh Al Hussaini, Magi Sison, Jason Ballesteros and Jayvee Casio. Staying behind are Ryan Buenafe, who has commitments in school, and Rey Guevara who is recovering from knee surgery.

Games January 6 (Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. — Smart-Gilas vs Purefoods
5 p.m. — Sta. Lucia vs Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. — Talk ’N Text vs Ginebra

SBP gears up for hosting important tilt

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) wants to host two major regional tournaments next year to convince Fiba, the world governing body for basketball, to allow the country to stage a more important tournament in 2011.

SBP deputy executive director Bernie Atienza told the BusinessMirror on Thursday that the federation will bid for the hosting of the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Women’s Championship and the Fiba-Asia Under-18 Men’s Championship.

Hosting the two tournaments, Atienza said, is part of the SBP’s grand plan to convince Fiba-Asia officials to award the hosting of the 2011 Fiba-Asia Men’s qualifier for the 2012 London Olympics.

“These are the major tournaments that the SBP is hoping to host and MVP [Manny V. Pangilinan] pointed out that we have to show the Fiba-Asia officials that we are capable of hosting these events,” said Atienza.

The Seaba Women’s Championship will be in June 2010 and according to Atienza, the country has a good chance of bringing the tournament here because no other country has offered a bid.

Hosting the Fiba-Asia U-18 tournament, however, is more tasking because Lebanon, Syria and Yemen have expressed interest in staging the tournament where a team under Eric Altamirano will take part in.

Atienza said the SBP will submit its bid for the 2011 Fiba-Asia tournament to the Fiba central board even before the December 30 (2009) deadline.

“We’re just preparing our presentation and we are also just waiting for the invitation of the executive board of the Fiba-Asia for the presentation,” he said.

The country hosted the Fiba-Asia Men’s Tournament in 1978. It was known then as the Asian Basketball Confederation Championship.

Atienza said Iran and Lebanon are also interested in hosting the tournament that will select the continent’s representatives to the 2012 London Games.

Iran is the reigning Asian champion after it beat a Yao Ming-less China in Tianjin. Iran and Lebanon are going to the World Championship next year in Turkey. The Lebanese were given a wild-card entry for finishing fourth in Tianjin.

The country previously targeted the hosting of the Fiba-Asia Champions Cup but the tournament’s schedule (May 7 to 14) will coincide with the 2010 national elections.

RP moves up 10 spots on FIBA ranking

Slowly, the Philippines is inching closer to the top 50 in world basketball. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced on Wednesday that the country has moved up 10 places to 53rd in the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) rankings this month.

SBP executive director Noli Eala said the country is now ranked first in the Southeast Asia (SEA) subzone and 13th overall in Asia, curiously still behind India, Syria and Kuwait. India is in joint 49th with Syria, while Kuwait is 52nd.

“We are grateful to Fiba that they continue to acknowledge the hard work of Filipino basketball players,” said Eala in a statement on Wednesday.

“It was hard inheriting a very low ranking from the previous national basketball association but the SBP has persevered and we’re glad the Philippines has regained the respect of Fiba and the basketball community,” he added.

In the women’s side, the Philippines improved to 50th from 53rd.

The women’s team is ranked ninth in the Asian and third in the SEA subzone behind Thailand (38th) and Malaysia (42).

In the combined rankings, the Philippines is in 57th place.

The country has registered the second-biggest gain in ranking points (2.7) among Asian countries behind Korea, which moved up to three ranking points.

Since taking over from the now-defunct Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) two years ago, SBP has put vigor in Philippine basketball by sending quality teams in international competitions.

The men’s basketball competition in the Southeast Asian Games is practically the Filipinos’ playground and the country, as expected, captured the 2007 title in Nakhon Ratchasima. The women’s team took the bronze medal.

The Chot Reyes-coached national team finished ninth overall in the 2007 Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship and the country improved a notch higher in the same competition when Yeng Guiao piloted the Nationals to a quarterfinals stint this year in Tianjin, China.

The youth programs are also in place as the U-18 of Franz Pumaren finished ninth in the Fiba-Asia Junior Men’s Championship in Tehran, Iran, in 2008 while the U-16 of mentor Eric Altamirano reached the semifinals of the Fiba-Asia U-16 cagefest on November in Malaysia.

The country’s men’s team also bagged the silver medal in the three-on-three event of the first Asian Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, last year.

Even the young Smart Gilas team of SBP had a significant accomplishment this year when the squad, beefed up by American CJ Giles, finished fifth in the Fiba-Asia Champions Cup in June in Jakarta, Indonesia.

ABA to hold extensive search for Pinoy talents

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - ABA Global vice chairman Paul Monozca said he would consult with all the key stakeholders in Philippine basketball in search of Filipino players who will be given the opportunity to play in the ABA.

Monozca said he’ll talk with SBP executive director Noli Eala, PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios, PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad and collegiate league officials, seeking their help in drawing the structure for the search.

Monozca said there will definitely be a tryout to be conducted at home sometime in the first quarter of 2010 to determine the players they will be sending for another tryout in the US.

ABA officials here said two Japanese have made the grade for the US tourney. They make their US debut in the coming ABA season.

“The fact that two Japanese have passed the test made me more excited on the prospect of a Filipino player making the ABA,” said Monozca.

ABA chief executive officer Joe Newman will discuss the complete details of their global expansion during the ABA Summit set at the Las Vegas Country Club here Tuesday.

Monozca has said that part of the ABA global expansion is the staging of American, European and China games, culminating with the holding of the World Basketball Cup in Atlanta in 2011.

Tasked to handle the ABA global program, Monozca said he’s able to get concessions, including a wildcard berth for the Philippines in the World Cup. Smart Gilas is likely to compete in that event.

Another concession is the ABA regular tourney opening its door on some Filipino players.

Monozca believes Filipino point guards have good chance of making it.

“The question is what do we have in the Philippines. What’s our best asset in basketball? I think the answer is our point guards,” said Monozca.

“We have had the Al Vergara and Jason Castro success stories with the Singapore Slingers. We’ll use the same formula here,” Monozca added.

The Filipino ABA official, who’s based in Singapore for over 20 years, admits he’s not that familiar with the Filipino players that’s why he’ll consult with Filipino cage officials.

“We’ll work with everyone because this is a serious process,” said Monozca.