BAP backtracks on POC deal

The Basketball Association of the Phils. yesterday reiterated it has sole authority on the formation of the national team to various international competitions and kept the appointment of Boyzie Zamar as national coach.

The BAP Executive Board signed a resolution stating that the board will maintain its duly-formed national men’s basketball team to participate in SEABA, although it still welcomes any assistance for the reinforcement of the national team from the PBA and other stakeholders of basketball.

It also upheld its earlier decision naming Zamar as head coach of the team that will authorize him to select his own coaching and training staff.

But the resolution ran counter to the recent agreement between basketball stakeholders and the Philippine Olympic Committee, which created the umbrella group that will supervise the formation of the national team, from players to coaching staff.

At the same time, BAP president Tiny Literal denied having granted the POC a free hand to form the national team in various international competitions, saying he was just misled by BAP project director Go Teng Kok into doing so.

As a result, the board decided to terminate Go as head of the committee overseeing the country’s bid to host the 2007 Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship.

The BAP stressed that Literal disclaimed the previous press statement, which came out yesterday in the papers, saying that he granted the POC a "free hand in forming the national team for several international tournaments."

This includes the formation of the RP 5 that will compete in the forthcoming Southeast Basketball Association (SEABA) in Singapore, the ABC in September in Doha, Qatar, and the 23rd SEA Games on Nov. 27 to Dec. 5 here.

The BAP also stressed that Literal "could not authorize (POC president Peping) Cojuangco unilaterally because as president, he acts only upon authority of the BAP Executive Board or National Board."

PBA commissioner Noli Eala, reacting to the latest BAP resolution, said he was very disappointed with these developments, saying "it was not what we talked about when we met in Rep. Cojuangco’s house."

"I think our decision to lend PBA players for the SEABA will have to be reviewed based on this latest BAP resolution," Eala said. — With report from Abac Cordero