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Thursday, February 12, 2004
Oyson: Row taints nat’l. students caging
By Manuel N. Oyson Jr.
Counter punch
The 2004 National Students Basketball Championships will be hosted by the province of Quezon on March 1-7. This will be the 58th straight year that the national students’ caging, also known as the National Inter-Secondary and National Inter-Collegiate Basketball tournaments, will be staged. The then Colegio de San Carlos Green and Gold Warriors of Cebu won the initial staging in 1946 in Manila.
The question now uppermost in everyone’s mind is who will organize it? Will it be the Basketball Association of the Philippines or the BAP Inc. (Bapi)? From the reports that I have picked up from the newspapers, it seems that the BAP under Graham Tiny Literal and Lim seems to have the upper hand. Majority of the media is backing the Literal-Lim group.
THIRTY EIGHT. In fact, it was the BAP which recently signed an agreement with Quezon Gov. Wilfredo Enverga for the hosting of this tournament. Signing for the BAP was Graham Lim. Thirty-eight teams from all over the country are expected to participate. The problem here is that BAP Inc., headed by secretary-general Nicanor Jorge, may not just take this slap on its face slightly.
As everyone knows, it is the Bapi which has been recognized by the courts as the legitimate amateur basketball organization in the country. That is why when the Lim group started its Manila eliminations for the national students basketball championships two weeks back, Bapi was able to secure a temporary restraining order good for only 72 hours.
FOMENTING. When the TRO expired, the BAP promptly resumed the eliminations. But it is the BAP which is recognized by the world amateur basketball federation (Fiba). And the BAP is insistent that Fiba’s support validates its right as the governing body for RP basketball. It accused Jorge and his group of fomenting trouble in the sport they profess to care about.
Jorge was undaunted as he called the BAP of Literal and Lim as “illegal” and “illegitimate”. He said that the Fiba recognizes the legitimate body and not mere personalities who base their claim on personal and business association with some Fiba officials.
WISHFUL. I am afraid that this will continue to be a ticklish issue that will hound amateur basketball in the country. Unless it is resolved, the exhortation of Quezon Gov. Enverga that the coming national students caging will inspire the youth to take up more meaningful endeavors such as basketball, will only be wishful thinking.
In the meantime, Jorge has asked the Philippine Olympic Committee to re-evaluate its continued support for Literal’s group in the light of the court decision not to recognize the Lim faction. POC president Celso Dayrit said that the controversy would be resolved after the Seag in Vietnam. That was early December. It’s now February 2004.
OBITS. This corner expresses its profound condolences to the bereaved families of the late lawyer Ernesto “Boy” Amores (Maricel Borromeo and children) and Vivian Pastrano-Garcia (Bidoy Aldeguer and Lou Pastrano).
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “When will this ridiculous turf war stop? What kind of example are our basketball leaders showing to the youth?” — Sports analyst Quinito Henson in a column in Philippine Star.
(mno@sunstar.com.ph)
(February 12, 2004 issue)
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