By MARK REY MONTEJO

Gilas Pilipinas had a roller-coaster ride in the past two months -- holding the fort in Manila against the best teams in the FIBA World Cup, and finally winning the gold after a six-decade wait in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
 

With manpower woes and conflict of schedules going as major hurdles along the journey, Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua and PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial knew that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas must address these nagging issues with the FIBA Asia Cup and next year's Olympic Qualifying Tournament already penned in the calendar.

“When we were there [in China], I’ve been telling [to] them (SBP), that we have to play it now, especially on what’s coming up. We have to check the schedule of the PBA, which we all know runs with the schedule,” Chua said during a press briefing on Monday, Oct. 9, at the PBA Office in Libis, Quezon City.

And when they were asked on which party will handle the Nationals in the future, Chua believed the decision should come from the SBP.

“Yung plano sa ngayon wala pa, kasi nga sila yun eh diba [SBP],  Ako, si Comm. Willie [Marcial], si vice Bobby [Rosales] at si chairman Ricky [Vargas], yung tinawag kaming apat to handle this [this team] napagbigyan namin, kaya talagang binigay namin 100 percent namin, and yung mga susunod [na Gilas stint], ay di ko alam baka may plano silang mas maganda,” Chua said.

"If we are going to ask for players again, that won't work because we have our own league going on at that point," he added.

Marcial expressed that he’s also relying on the governor's resolution based on SBP’s proposal and guaranteed that the PBA is always there to support Gilas.

“Tungkol do’n sa OQT [at] Asian Cup, kailangan magusap muna kami ng SBP kung anong plano, after magusap kami ng SBP, kailangan kausapin ko muna mga governors kung ano talaga plano,” Marcial said.

Gilas will compete in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup in February next year against Group B teams Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.