THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will soon enter into talks with the PBA in relation to the country’s participation in the 2020 Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 3x3 set May 26-30 in Graz, Austria.
SBP president Al Panlilio said four of the five players eligible to see action in the Olympic qualifier are current and soon-to-be PBA players in CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, and Santi Santillan.
Former PBA wingman Karl Dehesa is the other player eligible to play in the Olympic qualifier.

Panlilio said the SBP will engage into discussions with the PBA for the players to be allowed by their mother teams to compete in the 3x3 OQT.
That includes Munzon and Pasaol, who are expected to be selected high in the PBA draft set this Sunday under a virtual setting.
“If you look at those six names, five of those, after the draft, will be all PBA players. We also need to work with the league for them to be able to participate,” said Panlilio.
Panlilio said the players will most likely be out with their mother ballclubs for at least 15 days during their build-up and actual participation in the 3x3 meet.
“They will be gone for at least 15 days to be able to participate for the OQT, plus the federation will have to borrow them from their respective mother teams for practice. That’s a big ask on the PBA because we are asking for four to five players that will be PBA players by the time after the draft,” said Panlilio.
The Philippines made it to the OJT after collecting ranking points to move up to the top 20 in the world. The tournament was supposed to be held in Bangalore, India last March 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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