SPOELSTRA NOT ABLE TO VISIT FOR FIBA-ASIA TOURNEY
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 04 Jul 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- Previous commitments covering the next two months will prevent Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra of the newly-crowned NBA champion Miami Heat from accepting the invitation extended by Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas to come to the county to observe preparation of the basketball team Philippine team for the coming FIBA-Asia championship here.
A communication, in a response to Pangilinan?s invitation, the camp of the back-to-back champion mentor said a number or personal commitments, including weddings, won?t allow coach Spo to visit anew the country of his mother?s birth.
Coach Spo, the communication stated, is also committed to guest numerous summer leagues in the United States, the schedule of which fall in the Aug. 1-11 date of FIBA-Asia tournament which serves as qualifying competition for the 2014 World Championship in Spain.
Spoelstra?s camp expressed regrets for their boss? unavailability to honor the invitation, adding that his 2014 summer schedule ?might be possible? for him to revisit Manila.
Pangilinan (MVP to sports and business communities, right after the Heat won the NBA diadem at the expense of the San Antonio Spurs, sent a congratulatory message to Spoelstra, whose mother Elisa Celino is from San Pablo City in Laguna, at the same time inviting the 42-year-old Miami coach come here for a series of pep talks to members of Gilas-Pilipinas training pool.
?Sayang, ? Pangilinan told this writer in a text message. ?Had he been available, he, not only, could have inspired members of our national team, but, likewise, been honored by both SBP and FIBA-Asia for becoming the first Fil-Am and Asian-Am to win an NBA championship.?
?Pero, galangin natin ang pasya ni coach Spo, bilang kapwa Pilipino. Kung puede siya next year, imbitahin uli natin,? he said.
?Our invitation naman stands. If he would be available anytime before FIBA-Asia opens, he is welcome and receive recognition from us in the company of our distinguished guests from FIBA-Asia and FIBA-International,? MVP said.
?Or he can probably attend and make the closing ceremony more colorful.?
National head coach Chot Reyes and team manager Butch Antonio shared MVP?s sentiment.
"Okay lang, mahirap talagang mag-imbita,? Reyes said.
?Sayang talaga. Coach Spo could have really contributed by raising our team?s morale by his mere presence. But we have to respect his decision,? Antonio, for his part, commented.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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