Tanduay headed for disbandment?

Tanduay is on the rocks and sources say its internal bickerings, far worse than previous ones, have prompted top management to consider disbanding the team.

According to The STAR source, the problem started when the Basic Holdings Inc. top brass removed Lucio "Bong" Tan Jr. as the ballclub’s representative in the PBA board and named in his place Tanduay finance chief Nestor Mendones.

Apparently in disgust over the turm of events, the younger Tan reportedly put practically all their key players on the trading block before he stepped down. Four of them — Eric Menk, Dondon Hontiveros, Chris Cantonjos and Bonel Balingit — were acquired by three San Miguel Corp. ballclubs.

The surprise action drew the ire of the billionaire-owner who told the management staff he might as well disband the whole team, sources said.

Menk was traded to Barangay Ginebra for Alex Crisano and Elmer Lago, Hontiveros to San Miguel for Freddie Abuda and Cantonjos and Balingit to Purefoods for EJ Feihl plus two future draft picks.

PBA executive director Sonny Barrios confirmed that the trades were consummated Thursday and the papers forwarded to the PBA office yesterday morning.

But later in the day, The STAR source said Tanduay officials were making efforts to contact league commissioner Jun Bernardino to have the trades declared null and void.

Their contention was that the deal was illegal, having been transacted by people who no longer have legal status in the league. Commissioner Bernardino couldn’t be reached for comment at presstime.

But Barrios said the deal was legal as far as the PBA is concerned "since the transaction has been perfected and forwarded to the PBA."

Barrios said Bong Tan and Purefoods’ Butch Alejo, San Miguel’s Jun Cabalan and San Miguel’s Bert Manlapit affixed their signatures on the trade papers dated Dec. 6.

Incidentally, the PBA wrote the PBA a letter informing them of the change in their board representation on Dec. 5. Barrios said they received the letter only past noon yesterday.

Some PBA people see Tan’s move to yield his key players to SMC teams as a sort of spiting the league, which he had called "a San Miguel league" in an earlier quarrel with PBA officials.

If the deal is considered consummated and Tanduay goes on to play with its new lineup next season, it will, by any standard, land dead last among 10 teams.

Meanwhile, even if Talk ’N Text decides to dangle a tempting offer to Shell head coach Perry Ronquillo, the Turbo Chargers mentor said he will have to discuss matters first with his mother ball club.

Ronquillo, during yesterday’s SCOOP sa Kamayan forum, admitted that Talk ’N Text already sent somebody to talk to him in regards to a possible coaching stint with the Phonepals.

"But I told them I want to finish everything with Shell first before I talk to them. Besides, it’s not gonna be easy transferring to another team," said Ronquillo.

The Phone Pals last Monday parted ways with head coach Louie Alas and are now shpping for a replacement. Among those being considered are Sta. Lucia Realty assistant coach Franz Pumaren and Pop Cola’s Chot Reyes.

• To help the LBC Batangas Blades win this year’s MBA national title, and not his impending transfer to the PBA next year, is Romel Adducul’s priority at the moment.

"Mas focused ako sa finals ngayon. Ayoko ko kasing ma-distract ng mga balita tungkol diyan," said the 6’5" Tuguegarao native, who is a cinch to win his second straight MBA Most Valuable Player trophy.