Jaworski on BAP’s nat’l team: Fantasy

The Basketball Association of the Philippines needs all the help it could get to form a national team that could be competitive against the very best in Asia.

Former national player and coach Sen. Robert Jaworski had this to say in reaction to BAP’s reported plan to sever its ties with the Philippine Basketball Association in the formation of the RP squad for the Asian Games. BAP secretary-general Graham Lim had reportedly said his pronouncement was taken out of context.

"It’s a fantasy and I should know. I’ve been there," Jaworski also said in a chat with sportswriters during the annual SCOOP awards night Friday where he was among those feted with the Gawad Liderato (Sports Leadership Award).

He instead proposed that the BAP and the PBA work hand in hand to formulate a plan that would have young, talented players aging together.

"It’s not that easy and it’s gonna be a long, tedious process. But that’s the only chance we’ve got of coming up with a decent fighting team," he said.

"Tignan mo naman ang mga kalaban, year-long ang preparation sa laban," he added.

Jaworski called the shots for the very first all-pro team sent to the Asian Games in 1990 in Beijing. Despite a two-week preparation, the Nationals came up with a surprise second-place finish behind China.

But the Philippines has never made a return stint to the Asiad finals since then, placing fourth in Hiroshima in 1994, third in Bangkok in 1998 and once again fourth in Busan last year.

Curiously, the all-amateur RP team in the last ABC championship in China last year placed 15th in a field of 16.

Jaworski unwittingly reiterated what PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado stated Friday.

"Remember, it is not only the BAP or the PBA who would be affected in case of another basketball disaster in the international arena. It’s the entire Filipino race," Jaworski said.— Nelson Beltran