PBA vows all-out support for Gilas, but no talks yet re November FIBA qualifiers

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) may be inside the Clark bubble as the November window of the FIBA qualifiers happen, but the league assured it will give its all-out support to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Gilas Pilipinas.

“All-out support pa rin ang PBA. Walang pagbabago,” PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said in a virtual press conference on Thursday.

“’Yun pa rin ang sinasabi ng team owners, governors. Kung anong kailangan ng SBP na maitutulong namin, ibibigay namin,” he added. 

However, Marcial said the league and SBP had not yet talked about the November qualifiers.
 
“Walang sinasabi pa ang SBP regarding November [qualifiers],” the league commissioner said.

The upcoming FIBA windows scheduled for November 2020 and February 2021 will be played in a bubble setup. However, the November window will coincide with the PBA bubble which is expected to end mid-December.

Part of the rule inside the PBA bubble is that people cannot return inside once they go out.

Gilas Pilipinas program director Tab Baldwin welcomed the recent FIBA announcement, but admitted there are not enough bodies to fill out an all-cadet roster.

FIBA announced its bubble setup for the regional qualifiers last week, a day after the PBA confirmed its Clark bubble.

Earlier, the IATF gave the provisional authority to hold the tournament and the PBA games will start on Oct. 11. – RC, GMA News