PBA board downplays Baylon-Lim meeting, stresses support for SBP

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board downplayed the reported meeting between one of its members had with controversial Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) secretary-general Graham Lim the other night. League officials said the encounter between Lim and Coca-Cola board representative JB Baylon, who is the manager of Powerade-Team Pilipinas, was more of a clarification in nature than anything else. In light of this, the PBA reiterated its commitment and trust behind the SBP leadership following an emergency board meeting Friday morning at the league office in Libis. “The PBA board gave us the confidence that they are supporting the SBP all the way. They’re all behind us," said Talk ‘N Text board representative and SBP vice-president Ricky Vargas. “The PBA board and Office of the Commissioner expressed unconditional and wholehearted support to the SBP and the PBA intends to remain a very strong and good standing member of the SBP," said PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios. During the meeting, the PBA board “empowered members of the PBA who are trustees in the SBP to speak on and on behalf of the league with full authority to vote on any issues," according to Vargas. The SBP vice-president also quoted Baylon as saying that he merely clarified certain things with Lim, the same person the SBP is accusing as the one responsible for sending letters of complaints to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), during their meeting. Baylon regretted meeting with Lim, said Vargas. It was the first time the Powerade-Team Pilipinas manager sat with the BAP official. Vargas quoted Baylon as saying that he merely asked Lim “what he’s doing since the country won’t forgive you for this" should FIBA decides to suspend the Philippines once again. In addition to that, Vargas said Baylon “in no uncertain terms, respects and support the SBP as a member of the PBA and abide by anything and everything it decides." Trillo, meanwhile, said that even if the country is suspended by FIBA, Baylon has committed to bring the entire RP team to Beijing as some sort of a reward. Powerade, through Coca-Cola Company (CCC), is the major supporter of the PBA-backed national team coached by Yeng Guiao that is set to compete in the 2009 FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship this August in Tianjin, China. The meet serves as the qualifier for the 2010 World Basketball Championship in Turkey. But the nationals’ Tianjin stint is in danger of being called off in the light of the SBP’s decision not to attend the July 20-22 meeting FIBA has set in Geneva to shed light on the complaints aired before the world governing body for the sport by BAP. – GMANews.TV