Patrick Gregorio, the first to be named executive director of the powerful Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP), is contemplating stepping down from his post, a source said.

It was also revealed that Gregorio will sit down with BAP-SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan Wednesday to discuss the matter.

The development comes at the heels of the recent Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Champions Cup in Indonesia, where the Philippine team, backed by Harbour Centre, lost its title in controversial fashion.

Gregorio flew to Jakarta primarily to settle the eligibility of Sam Ekwe, who was barred by organizers from playing. Ekwe’s absence was taken as a major reason why Harbour Centre, lost its crown.

Seaba officials blocked Ekwe’s stint because he failed to present a player’s clearance certificate, which was to come from his home country Nigeria and which was supposed to be secured by the BAP-SBP.

Gregorio reiterated that the federation had attempted several times to secure the document from Nigeria, but the BAP-SBP’s counterparts in the African nation did not comply.

In the aftermath of the missing documents, Gregorio lamented he was blamed heavily for Ekwe’s ban and essentially Harbour Centre’s loss.

During the awarding ceremonies of the Seaba, in which the RP 5 settled for runner-up, Gregorio told the BusinessMirror, “I’m tired.”

When the BAP-SBP was formed last year, the position of executive director was left vacant for weeks after the merger, as the federation sought what it considered “a most credible man” for the job. Gregorio, a marketing man, will complete his first full year as executive director next month.

Marquez: I’m here to demand, not beg

DETHRONED super-featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on Tuesday clarified he came to Manila not to beg for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, but to demand for one.

Louie still believes he can get hands on $0.13M

LUISITO ESPINOSA is not losing hope that he would still get his purse for a world title fight against Arentina’s Carlos Rios staged at the South Cotabato Stadium in Koronadal City more than 10 years ago.

ADAMSON University kept its composure, then leaned on guest player Neriza Bautista in the third set as the Lady Falcons hacked out a shocking  25-22, 25-21, 25-23 victory over fancied San Sebastian College (SSC) to seize the solo lead in the Shakey’s V-League Season 5 at The Arena in San Juan Tuesday.

Patrick Gregorio, the first to be named executive director of the powerful Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP), is contemplating stepping down from his post, a source said.

THE conference is barely two weeks old and yet the Coca-Cola Tigers are already making quite a noise.

HAPEE Toothpaste needed a strong first half in repulsing Burger King, 100-85, for its third-straight win Tuesday night in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

BACOLOD CITY—Defending national women’s champion University of Visayas (UV) easily disposed of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) to open its back-to-back bid on a high note and lead the opening-day winners of the 12th Nestea Beach Volley Visayas Eliminations Tuesday at the University of St. La Salle sand courts.

Mercedes-Benz, the worldwide leader in luxury vehicles, is taking an aggressive stance in promoting golf in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region for 2008.  The German auto giant had recently signed a three-year deal as the Asean Golf Tour’s title sponsor.

THERE’S the saying “a sound mind, a sound body.”

No matter what is one’s religious persuasion, there’s no doubt that positive thinking, or faith for some, does wonders. Not because things would magically turn in one’s favor, but because positive thinking is a matter of changing one’s perspective.