SAN Miguel Corp. sports director Alfrancis Chua urged the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to start planning for the future right after Gilas Pilipinas captured the gold medal in the 19th Asian Games.
READ: Two players 'asked for the moon' to play for Gilas in Asiad: officials
Gilas Pilipinas will be competing in two major international competitions next year including the qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, and Chua said it is important to plan ahead especially on the composition of the team.
“Actually nandoon pa lang kami, I was telling them you have to plan it now,” said Chua, when asked what he will suggest to the SBP following his stint as team manager of the national team during the Asian Games.
Chua’s tenure as Gilas Pilipinas team manager ended after the Asian Games. And so was the reign of Tim Cone, who took over the head coaching job on an interim basis after Chot Reyes stepped down after the World Cup.
“’Yung celebration, tapos na ‘yun. Nakuha na natin ‘yung ginto. We have to plan it kung ano ang darating,” said Chua.
Gilas' 2024 sked
The Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers, where the first of three windows will start on February 2024, loom on the horizon.
Gilas Pilipinas will also be gunning for a slot in the Paris Olympics during the 2024 Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Chua said the SBP should this early plot the schedule to more or less know which players will be available.
“One, they have to check the schedule. Kung kukuha kayo ng PBA players, hindi aabot dahil hanggang February kami. What’s your next step? Kukuha kayo sa UAAP, NCAA? Hindi biro. Kailangang planuhin nila ‘yun,” said Chua.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial assured the league is willing to support the SBP once again in national team endeavors especially in the upcoming competitions.
“Kailangan mag-usap muna kami ng SBP kung ano ang plano,” Marcial said. “After mag-usap kami, kailangan ko kausapin ang mga governors. Mag-present ang SBP sa mga governors tapos tignan natin kung ano ang mabibigay ng PBA.
"Nandyan naman kami lagi pero nahihirapan din ang PBA. Malaking kawalan at malaking sakrispisyo at nahihiya rin kami sa team owners. Pero tignan natin kung ano pa ang mabibigay natin. Pero kailangan namin ang programa ng SBP kung ano talaga programa.”
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