PBA goes ‘bigay-todo’ for Asiad

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is unravelling a bold move in a bid to win the gold in basketball in the 2002 Asian Games, dedicating half of its 28th season in pursuit of that treasured medal in Busan, South Korea this September.

That is the theme of the season which begins Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum with the start of the Samsung Governors’ Cup. In fact, the theme song of the season is entitled ‘’Bigay Todo," all-out for the gold.

Everything in the league takes a backseat. Two new franchises could have been a source of enthusiasm and excitement in any given year. This time, they’re overshadowed by two super squads of mega stars and Fil-Ams who have been called for a tour of duty for the country.

In a massive media launch at the Westin Philippine Plaza yesterday, chairman Butch Alejo and league commissioner Emilio Bernardino said they’re looking forward to another banner year but stressed their main thrust is to give the country a good shot at winning the coveted gold medal in the Busan Games.

Thus, the PBA re-calendared its schedule of activities for the year, adopt new rules and implement new measures all in consonance with the Asiad campaign of the league-backed Philippine team.

In a departure from tradition, the league kicks off the season with the Samsung Governors Cup featuring the 10-member ballclubs which will provide what RP team mentors dubbed as "test wars" for the coming Games.

Aside from the two candidates teams, in showcase in the tournament are two new PBA ballclubs, 21 new faces from the annual draft and 20 imports who could provide white-knuckle competition for the RP squads.

Airfreight 2100/FedEx and Coca Cola, which took over Tanduay and Pop Cola, respectively, clash in the 5:30 p.m. opening game. A one-hour show, which has always been the highlight of every PBA opening day, will start at 4 p.m. with "Higante," depicting the stature of the league in the country and in Asia, the theme of the show. Musician Joey Ayala will have a production number while Ana Fegi and Janine Desiderio take turns in belting out their respective versions of the "Todo Bigay" song.

Tournament format calls for the 12 teams to play one round of eliminations with the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals. Those in the upper half of the quarterfinal draw need to win only once to advance to the semifinals.

The sentiment among coaches is that the two RP candidates teams together with Barangay Ginebra, Purefoods and Shell are the top contenders for the title.

Ginebra loaned two players in Eric Menk and EJ Feihl to the national pool, but it could be recalled that the two players were not with the Gin Kings when the team figured in the All-Filipino finals last year.

San Miguel, the reigning All-Filipino champion, is badly depleted with Danny Ildefonso, Danny Seigle, Olsen Racela and Dondon Hontiveros going to the national pool. Only one other team in Coca Cola has more number RP aspirants in Johnny Abarrientos, Jeffrey Cariaso, Rafi Reavies, Poch Juinio and Rudy Hatfield.

Purefoods lost Noy Castillo, Andy Seigle and Boyet Fernandez but remained a force to reckon with after a massive buildup that had the team taking in big men Kerby Raymundo, Bonel Balingit and Chris Cantonjos.

The Hotdogs will be reinforced by imports Derrick Brown and Leonard White.