OFFICIALS of the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) are set to sit down to assess Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the Fiba World Cup and chart the next steps for the national team program.
SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan has already sent a communique to federation president Al Panlilio for an immediate meeting with the PBA board led by TnT Katropa governor Ricky Vargas and Commissioner Willie Marcial.
The PBA commissioner told SPIN.ph on Monday he wants the meeting to be scheduled as soon as possible especially in the aftermath of the Philippine men’s team finishing dead last among 32 teams in the global showpiece.

Marcial said he’s proposing that the meeting be held at the end of the month when the entire league board convenes for its monthly conference.
Gilas Pilipinas’ World Cup ended with five losses by an average margin of 29.4 points.
“We have to hear it from the SBP, anong programa nila, anong course of action to take? Basta ang programa sa kanila yun. Ang sa amin naman ay yung players and siyempre, yung schedule para mai-adjust din namin yung kalendaryo ng liga,” said Marcial, who was with the PBA board in Foshan, China during the group phase of the world meet.
By that, Marcial meant it’s the SBP which is fully in-charge of the players it needed and the men who will handle the team.
He added its’ still the federation’s call about revamping the composition of the team, including the coaching staff under veteran mentor Yeng Guiao.
“Wala kaming say diyan pagdating sa programa ng SBP. Sa kanila yun,” he said.

And instead of pointing fingers on what transpired in China, Marcial said it would be better to discuss what went wrong and from there adopt the best possible plan.
“Walang sisihan dito,” said the commissioner. “I-identify natin ano yung naging problema at pag-usapan kung ano ang nararapat na gawin.”
Without making an excuse, Marcial noted though how competition in the world level has drastically changed just five years after the Philippine made it back to the tournament after more than three decades of absence.
Marcial said that even mighty China, which he thought was the most prepared team among Asian countries, failed to advance past the group stage. Worse, it even failed to secure an outright berth to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite having the advantage as tournament host.
“Nag-NBA camp pa yang China and trained kung saan-saan, pero hindi rin nag-qualify,” he said. “Mabigat talaga yung competition, pero again wala tayong excuses.”
The coming 30th Southeast Asian Games which the country is hosting from November 30 to Dec. 11 and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament – if ever the Philippines would be given a wild card slot – are the two immediate tournaments which would occupy the SBP in the coming months.
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