GAB TO HOLD SPECIAL BOARD MEETING ON CASE OF LASSITER AND SLAUGHTER?S PULL-OUT FROM WORLD CUP POOL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 11 Mar 2014
Guanzon.
Games and Amusements Board chairman Ramon Guanzon is calling a meeting of the GAB board at 4:00 p.m. today (Tuesday) to take up the case of Marcio Lassiter and Greg Slaughter pulling out of the Gilas Pilipinas national pool preparing for the World Cup in late August in Spain and the Asian Games in South Korea shortly afterwards.
National coach Chot Reyes named Fil-American Lassiter of San Miguel Beer and Slaughter of Ginebra San Miguel to the 17-man pool after the PBA board of governors agreed to allow Gilas to pick any player from its ten teams.
Reyes also named Rain Or Shine?s backcourt star Paul Lee and Talk N? Text?s Jared Dillinger to the pool. Dillinger was named for the FIBA Asia Championship roster last year but was injured in a vehicular accident and was forced to pull-out.
Guanzon told the Manila Standard that he agreed with many of those who had criticized the withdrawal of Lassiter and Slaughter but indicated there are no rules at present covering such situations and there is nothing the GAB can do if a player doesn?t wish to play for the country.
Guanzon told the Standard ?if they don?t want to play we cannot force them.?
However, the chairman of the House Committee on Games and Amusement, Congressman Elpidio Barzaga has made it clear that the GAB ?should not issue license to play to those PBA players who were selected to play for the Philippine team but refused to join and play invoking flimsy reasons.?
Lassiter for one expressed concern over a supposed injury which might be aggravated by the strenuous schedule of the national pool. However, it was pointed out by PBA fans that the San Miguel Beer wingman played excellent back-to-back games and showed no signs of any injury.
Barzaga was quoted as saying that Lassiter and Slaughter should be reminded that professional basketball ?is subject to regulation by the state and disservice to the country would be a valid ground for the government not to issue a license to them to play in the PBA.?
The pull-out of the two San Miguel Corporation players on the grounds that they did not wish to deprive players who had earned a spot on the World Cup team after helping qualify by finishing second in the FIBA Asia Championships, put an undue burden on Lee and Dillinger who may eventually replace players on the FIBA Asia squad.
In the face of the withdrawal there is a possibility that coach Reyes may tap two other replacements with the only one that could fill in the slot of Slaughter being another rookie Ian Sangalang who had a great run for San Mig Coffee in the last PBA Championships.
The attitude of naturalized American Marcus Douthit who was commended for his performance in helping the Philippines qualify for the World Cup and for his pro-Filipino attitude also won respect for stating that he would fight to keep his place on the team in the face of the possible naturalization of NBA Brooklyn Net?s standout Andray Blatche.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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