A 2nd chance in Changsha

MANILA, Philippines – “Twice much grief, twice the strain.” And twice the heroes in the end.

Two times in the last four years, the Philippines was a heartbeat away from the gold medal in the FIBA Asia war.

The first one in 2013, the Gilas squad wore the face of a victor in defeat for the courage and sheer size of its heart in yielding to the Iranians.

The home crowd celebrated. It gave deeper meaning to the word “Puso.”

Gilas 3.0 was never lacking in heart and courage. It has a vast reservoir of them, flowing freely after its hiccup to Palestine.

But ranged against the young, awesome Chinese in the final, the Nationals suffered a glaring disparity in size before bowing, 67-78.

It didn’t help any that some of those who could fill the gap, whose presence alone could provide a morale boost and huge difference stayed home either nursing injuries or hit by fatigue.

In the aftermath of the defeat that sent the country to the cutthroat Olympic qualifier, the PBA reiterated its support to Team Phl. It’s willing to shorten its 2016 schedule for the July eliminator.

But apparently it’s more than an issue on dates and schedules. It has come down to giving full or holding back on its support.

“A volatile situation,” says an exasperated SBP vice-president Ricky Vargas, who had pushed for the revival of the Cadet program to be a permanent source of personnel for the national team.

There’s no doubt the PBA is willing to help. It has maintained its lead role as the No. 1 league that has sustained this nation’s passion.

But it has also unwittingly become tool for partisan politics and combustible corporate rivalry that has seeped down to the core of the national team.

It has now become a call for flag and country (or company?).