NoliEala - Just received news that the PBA Board gave green light for Asi and Kelly to join Gilas for Asian Games. Good for RP sports. Mabuhay! NoliEala - I believe James politely declined due to pro and personal reasons
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) heeded the call to strengthen the national team for the coming Asian Games by giving unanimous approval to the request of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to have two PBA stars reinforce the Smart Gilas team.
In a planning meeting held in Bangkok, Sunday, the PBA board voted to allow Asi Taulava of PowerAde (formerly Coca-Cola) and Kelly Williams of Talk ‘N Text to join the national team for the Asiad campaign.
But the third PBA player sought by Gilas coach Rajko Toroman – James Yap of Be-Meg Derby Ace – begged off saying he has to settle some personal issues. Yap also is recovering from a minor surgery that involved removing a polyp in his nasal passage.
The PBA did not close the door on a third acquisition by the SBP and said it will consider a replacement for Yap so long as the player and the team agree with the terms and condition of the basketball association.
Toroman has long been seeking PBA reinforcement after noting that the current Smart Gilas lineup does not have the size and firepower to adequately stand up to the opposition.
Toroman earlier said that the inclusion of the 6-foot-9 Taulava, who had a previous stint with the team in the Stankovic Cup in Beirut last August, and the 6-foot-7 Williams will definitely improve their frontline.
Yap would have been a perfect addition for the team, taking the role of a shooting guard, which the Gilas team sadly lacks.
PBA Chairman Rene Pardo of B-Meg Derby Ace said it was Yap who personally begged off.
Yap, the reigning PBA Fiesta Cup most valuable player awardee, was dumped by his superstar wife, the popular TV host/actress Kris Aquino, who announced she was separating from the player because of possible irreconcilable differences.
Newly-appointed PBA Commissioner Angelico “Chito” Salud announced the decision late Sunday in Bangkok where the PBA board held its planning meeting that was originally set in Hong Kong but scuttled due to the hostage crisis.
With Yap out, Toroman, sources said, is reportedly considering former RP team players Dondon Hontiveros of San Miguel Beer and Renren Ritualo of PowerAde as replacements.
Both are shooters like Yap.
With the PBA and the SBP back as partners, Salud hopes the working relationship does not intrude into the PBA program in a way that its top players are subject to regular stints with the national team.
“We’ll sit down with the SBP. The PBA has aired its concern with its specific role with its long term program,” Salud said, adding that PBA players will not spill over to playing in lesser events like the Southeast Asian Games.
The PBA board also approved the inclusion of TNT mentor Chot Reyes as special assistant to Smart-Gilas in the Asian Games campaign.
Meantime, the board also approved the refined rules proposed by Salud, which includes using the maximum 14-man lineup in every game, instead of the previous 14-man unit but only 12 players were allowed to play.
The “no-harm, no-foul” brand of officiating will likewise be implimented.
The PBA will return to its original three-conference format this 36th Season beginning with the All-Filipino conference Philippine Cup on Oct. 3.
The two other conferences are reinforced Commissioner’s Cup and Governors Cup
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Dondon Hontiveros, San Miguel Beer’s veteran shooter and a member of the last all-pro team that competed in the Asian Games in Busan, Korea, eight years ago, is being eyed by Smart Gilas national developmental team to replace James Yap.
This was confirmed by Allan Gregorio, RP-Smart Gilas national developmental team assistant coach to GMANews.TV.
“We’re looking at Dondon right now since James (Yap) opted not to join. But we don’t want to make major changes in the team because we don’t want to disrupt the chemistry of the squad," said Gregorio in a telephone interview.
“We hope Dondon will be allowed by his mother team and the PBA," added Gregorio.
GMANews.TV earlier reported that Yap will likely beg off from joining the national team aspirants who will compete in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, this November because of professional and personal reasons.
The 6-foot-2, two-time PBA Most Valuable Player will be hard-pressed to do much of the scoring for B-Meg Derby Ace as team captain Kerby Raymundo is expected to be out of the season while another key player, Marc Pingris, will miss his team’s games until December of this year.
Just recently, Yap underwent minor operation at the St. Luke's Hospital to repair a nose polyp. The operation had to be done as the player claimed he had “difficulty breathing."
The PBA Board has already given in to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) request for the services of Asi Taulava of Powerade and Kelly Williams of Talk N Text to beef up the RP-Smart Gilas squad in the Asian Games.
Should Hontiveros be included, the Cebuano hotshot will be reunited with Taulava, his former teammate with the national team that placed fourth in the Busan Asian Games.
Hontiveros averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Beermen last season. - KY, GMANews.TV
******
Dondon Hontiveros, San Miguel Beer’s veteran shooter and a member of the last all-pro team that competed in the Asian Games in Busan, Korea, eight years ago, is being eyed by Smart Gilas national developmental team to replace James Yap.
This was confirmed by Allan Gregorio, RP-Smart Gilas national developmental team assistant coach to GMANews.TV.
“We’re looking at Dondon right now since James (Yap) opted not to join. But we don’t want to make major changes in the team because we don’t want to disrupt the chemistry of the squad," said Gregorio in a telephone interview.
“We hope Dondon will be allowed by his mother team and the PBA," added Gregorio.
GMANews.TV earlier reported that Yap will likely beg off from joining the national team aspirants who will compete in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, this November because of professional and personal reasons.
The 6-foot-2, two-time PBA Most Valuable Player will be hard-pressed to do much of the scoring for B-Meg Derby Ace as team captain Kerby Raymundo is expected to be out of the season while another key player, Marc Pingris, will miss his team’s games until December of this year.
B-Meg Derby Ace's James Yap (2nd right) acknowledges the crowd after winning his second PBA MVP award as league chairman Rene Pardo (from left), former chairman and now Bureau of Customs commissioner Lito Alvarez and former PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios look on. GMANews.TV
Just recently, Yap underwent minor operation at the St. Luke's Hospital to repair a nose polyp. The operation had to be done as the player claimed he had “difficulty breathing."
The PBA Board has already given in to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) request for the services of Asi Taulava of Powerade and Kelly Williams of Talk N Text to beef up the RP-Smart Gilas squad in the Asian Games.
Should Hontiveros be included, the Cebuano hotshot will be reunited with Taulava, his former teammate with the national team that placed fourth in the Busan Asian Games.
Hontiveros averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Beermen last season. - KY, GMANews.TV
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