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THE
national men’s basketball team are physically and
mentally ready for the 24th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG)
in Thailand, according to head coach Junel Baculi.
But the
Filipinos, easily the top favorites for the gold medal,
will fly today for the biennial meet minus their top
enforcer and bruiser Alex Crisano, who was dropped from
the lineup for failing to secure a Philippine passport
in time for the tournament.
“Masama
ang loob niya but we cannot really do anything about
it. Five years siyang nag-stay dito, hindi
niya trinabaho ang passport niya,” said
Baculi yesterday in the men’s and women’s teams joint
sendoff at the Outback Steakhouse in Libis,
Quezon City.
“And for
us, life goes on because we have a mission to accomplish
in the SEA Games,” Baculi added.
Team
manager Erick Arejola relayed the sad news to Crisano on
Friday in the team’s last practice and Baculi admitted
that the absence of the six-foot-six Filipino-American
center will create a big vacuum in the frontline.
“When we
have Alex, ‘yung other big men natin sanay sa
bugbugan sa ilalim during our practice. Now, it’s up
to the rest of the guys to translate that kind of
intensity in the SEA Games,” Baculi explained.
With
Crisano out, Baculi gave a hint that they may drop a
couple of guards in the lineup during the managers’
meeting in December 6. There are now 15 players in his
pool.
Crisano
was not around in yesterday’s sendoff, which was
attended by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president
Jose Cojuangco Jr., Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
officer-in-charge Sonny Barrios, amateur godfather Dr.
Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre, BAP-Samahang Basketbol
ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) representative Terry Capistano,
BAP-SBP competition head Christian Tan, Philippine
Basketball League (PBL) commissioner Chino Trinidad, who
also emceed the event, and PBL chairman Cecilio Pedro.
Cojuangco and Barrios cautioned the teams about the
“hometown calls” that the Filipinos may encounter during
the competition.
“Just
expect untoward officiating there,” said Cojuangco. “Do
not lose your heads. Don’t let those calls bother you.
You have to keep your heads on course.”
Barrios
told the audience why the PBA turned down a request of
getting professional reinforcements for the team.
“When
the request came in, I always believed that the best way
to help you is to leave you alone. The only help we can
give is our prayers,” said Barrios.
“Pakiusap
lang kay coach Junel, iwasan magpa—technical,”
added Barrios that drew laughter in the crowd.
The PBA
chief was referring to the costly technical foul that
the Philippine team bench got during the Fiba-Asia
Championships in Tokushima, Japan, last August in the
opening game against
Iran
which the country lost.
Pedro
encouraged the players to show to their SEA Games rivals
what Filipino athletes are made of. “We go there and
tell our opponents that Filipino athletes are also
world-class athletes,” said Pedro, who donated P100,000
each to the men’s and women’s teams for their
participation in the biennial meet. |
