SBP awaiting final ruling on Justin Brownlee’s SEA Games eligibility

Whether Justin Brownlee can suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the Southeast Asian Games remains uncertain, as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) continues to await the final eligibility ruling from the local organizers.

SBP executive director Erika Dy revealed that the Thailand organizing committee has yet to finalize the eligibility rulings for participating athletes with only weeks left before the biennial meet fires off next month.

Dy shared that the initial rule was passport-only for athletes across all sports. 

However, the Thai organizers recently sent out a new handbook where both the FIBA rules, which state that an athlete is considered a local if they obtain their national passport before turning 16, and the passport-only rule were mentioned. 

Dy added that they also recently met with Thailand’s basketball federation in an online meeting, along with other ASEAN federations, but even in that meeting, the eligibility ruling was still not cleared.

"Marami talagang issues. Actually we’re also very frustrated about it because the first eligibility ruling a few months back was passport-only, although we know that it's the SEA Games," Dy told reporters on Monday.

"And we know that the host has a prerogative on this, so we were prepared for both. We always have a Plan B."

(There really are a lot issues. Actually we’re also very frustrated about it because the first eligibility ruling a few months back was passport-only, although we know that it's the SEA Games. And we know that the host has a prerogative on this, so we were prepared for both. We always have a Plan B.)

Dy added that SBP has already submitted its lineup, and if they do not receive any feedback from the organizers by November 26, they can proceed to release the final roster. She, however, didn't divulge who made it to the list. 

"In any case, we’re being asked to submit a lineup so we submitted the lineup na i think two weeks ago and according to president Bambol Tolentino, if we don’t hear any comments from them by the 26th, that means the lineup is approved," Dy said.

"This is different from the initial lineup that we submitted I think a month ago."

Amid the eligibility issue, SBP can have a sigh of relief as the SEA Games won't affect their ultimate goal of making it to the Olympics since it's not a qualifier to any tournament. 

Still, Dy bared that SBP will send the best possible team to the regional tournament with Norman Black leading the crew as the head coach. Among the previous names floated to join the SEA Games are Ray Parks Jr., Mike Phillips, Ange Kouame, Matthew Wright, and Dave Ildefonso.

"Ang kagandahan dito is ‘yung SEA Games is not part of our bigger goal, which is making the Olympics. It’s not a qualifier for anything, it has nothing to do with the World Cup," Dy said.

"But it’s just the same, we want to prepare as best as we could for the SEA Games because we’re bringing the name of our country and we’re representing the flag."

(The good thing is that the SEA Games is not part of our bigger goal, which is making the Olympics. It's not a qualifier for anything, it has nothing to do with the World Cup. But it’s just the same, we want to prepare as best as we could for the SEA Games because we’re bringing the name of our country and we’re representing the flag.)

—JMB, GMA Integrated News