Gilas Coach Hopes PBA Board Loans Williams

(From GMA News)

If Smart-Gilas coach Rajko Toroman will have his way, he would like to have former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) most valuable player (MVP) Kelly Williams joining his squad for the Guangzhou Asian Games.

"Yes, we want to include him (Williams) to the Asian Games, but it will depend also on the PBA," said Toroman in a text message sent to GMANews.TV.

Toroman, the man responsible for steering Iran to the FIBA Asia Championship crown in 2007 that enabled the country to earn an Olympic berth in Beijing, was vocal about Williams’ inclusion.

Perhaps, the first step towards Williams joining Smart-Gilas had already been achieved after Talk ‘N Text acquired him and Ryan Reyes in a three-team, nine-player trade.

Like Smart-Gilas, Talk ‘N Text is one among the few teams being bankrolled by businessman/sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan.

But Toroman still needs the PBA board’s approval in loaning Williams to the Gilas developmental squad, which is a non-PBA member.

Williams will definitely not be included in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup set to begin next week in Doha, Qatar.

Talented Filipino-American guard Chris Lutz, however, will join the team in Doha after the Marshall University standout arrived Tuesday from the United States. He is expected to take the place of Marcio Lassiter, who suffered a slight tear on his right knee.

"Maybe Lutz can replace him, but we will see," said Toroman.

Lutz, a 24-year-old combo guard, was the all-time leading scorer while playing for Trinity High School before going to the Thundering Herd. The 6-foot-3 Lutz averaged 8.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while playing for the US NCAA Division I team.

He once worked out for the national developmental team and quickly impressed everyone, including Talk ‘N Text coach Chot Reyes.

“I had the opportunity of seeing (Lutz) play here. Smart-Gilas was playing tune up games against us and I was impressed with his versatility. He can shoot, can slash and plays with a lot of energy," said Reyes.

Lutz will definitely be a welcome addition to the Gilas squad battered with injuries. Team captain Christ Tiu is playing with an injury along with Mark Baracael, JR Cawaling and guard JV Casio, who was named the best playmaker in a Dubai meet but is now rehabilitating from an ACL injury.

"Not so nice for the team right now because we have a lot of injuries," said Toroman. "We have a lot of work to do in the Champions Cup because all teams go to Doha to win."

Greg Slaughter was supposed to be more of a project player for the national team aspirants, but he had shown tremendous improvement under Toroman’s guidance.

"He’s getting better and better," said Toroman on the 6-foot-11 pride of University of Visayas, who will suit up for the Ateneo Eagles in next year’s UAAP wars.

Serbian import Milan Vucicevic, according to Toroman, had slowly got himself accustomed with the Philippines’ hot and humid conditions as well as with his teammates.

Vucicevic had various stints in basketball leagues in Cyprus, Oman, Ukraine, Greece and Poland. He is described by Toroman as a "good player, with a good attitude."

"If he could help enough the team, we’ll make a deal with him after Doha. It’s all up to him," said Toroman of the Serbian import.

Kelly Williams Can’t Suit Up For Champions Cup Squad

(From Inquirer)

Minus a PBA clearance, Kelly Williams won’t be able to suit up for Smart Gilas in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup.

Smart Gilas assistant coach Allan Gregorio Monday announced that the versatile 6-foot-7 slasher is certain to miss the Doha, Qatar, tournament on May 22 to 30, adding that the earliest Williams could join the national team is in the Guangzhou Asian Games in November.

Talk ‘N Text, which acquired Williams from Sta. Lucia Realty in a nine-player trade that also involved Barako Coffee, still has to get the PBA board’s permission to loan the 2008 PBA MVP to Smart Gilas.

“I think Kelly will finish the (PBA Fiesta) conference before playing for the national team,” said Gregorio. “We’re hoping to have him in the Asian Games.”

Talk ‘N Text is owned by telecommunications magnate Manny V. Pangilinan, who is also the president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the national sport association for basketball which handles Smart Gilas.

PBA rules limits a player to seeing action with his mother club and for a national team formed by the pro league.

Gilas is leaving for Doha on Thursday, hoping to surpass its fifth-place finish in the Champions Cup held in Jakarta last year.

The RP five is bracketed in Group A with defending champion Iran, Kazakhstan, Iraq and host Qatar. Group B is composed of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

While its rivals will be fielding two imports each, Gilas only has 6-foot-10 Serbian Milan Vucicevic as reinforcement.

SLR's Exit Plan? Kelly, Ryan Traded to TNT

(From PBA Online)

Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez entered the press room as protocol for winning coach facing mediamen after the game.

He has won the match, his team's third in its last four games, but came up with an opening statement as if he has lost a big one.

"I can't imagine my team without my MVP," said Fernandez.

Yes, indeed, Fernandez lost his prized-player, 2007-2008 MVP Kelly Williams, who was just traded to Talk N Text, ending a week of suspense drama.

As if that was not enough, the Realtors also lost their former Rookie of the Year, Ryan Reyes also to the Tropang Texters, completing a nine-player, three-team trade deal considered as the biggest this season.

But Williams and Reyes were two of the only players with greater value, so to speak in a trade that also involved Barako Coffee. The two cagers who played for the PBA-backed national team to the FIBA Asia Championship in separate occasions, will go to the Tropang Texters as a diverting route to Smart-Gilas.

The two players are reportedly set to be loaned to the Smart-Gilas national developmental pool, which is also bankrolled by Manny V. Pangilinan, the top honcho of Talk N Text in the PBA.

Also involved in the multi-player trade were Ali Peek, Nic Belasco, Pong Escobal, Ogie Menor, Yousif Aljamal, Mark Isip and a future pick.

The Realtors were able to secure the rights on Peek, Belasco, Escobal, Menor and Aljamal.

The Energy Coffee Masters tabbed Isip and a future pick.

Sta. Lucia team manager and former PBA chairman Buddy Encarnado told GMANews.TV said that it's really hard to let go of two of his best players.

"Things are really done for a reason and one of them is because of a higher calling and that is to represent the national team," said Encarnado.


Sta. Lucia's last hurrah in the PBA?

Have we seen the last of Sta. Lucia?

Encarnado neither confirmed nor deny that this will be the last conference of the Realtors, who won two league titles in nearly two decades of participation in the country's premier cage league.

"We can't really tell it," said Encarnado when asked if this will be the final conference of the Realtors. "It's like asking somebody if he still wants to stay alive or wants to die."

"But you cannot question anymore Sta. Lucia's tenure in the PBA. We have stayed longer than some of the teams that participated here. Right now, we will still continue to show the same passion and willingness to compete," added Encarnado, who is tasked to head the PBA's creation of a Developmental League that will serve as the transition league of Liga Pilipinas and Philippine Basketball League.

Barrios To Consult Board On Kelly Trade

(From Manila Standard)

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios plans to call for a special board meeting when the impending trade of Sta. Lucia Realty superstar Kelly Williams to Talk N Text finally pushes through.

Barrios considers sensitive the case of the 6’4” high-flying forward, whose looming transfer to the Tropang Texters is designed to allow him from suiting up for the RP-Smart Gilas team.

Officials of both Sta. Lucia and Talk N Text admitted talks have been ongoing on how to make the deal work.

“Frankly, what I intend to do is to ask the (PBA Board) chairman to call for a special meeting rather than I making a decision on my own (regarding the trade),” said Barrios, who sat beside PBA chairman Lito Alvarez in the presidential table during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.

“But that would happen if and when a trade is made. Right now kasi, we’re all talking theoretically.”

Alvarez concurred with the PBA commissioner.

“Kapag dumating ‘yung request, the chairman would not hesitate to call a meeting to tackle the case,” said Alvarez, also team manager of Air21, in the session presented by Outlast Battery, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation, Shakey’s and Accel.

RP-Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman has expressed his desire to get the services of Williams to reinforce the national team, specifically in its coming bid for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

PLDT and Smart Sports are bankrolling the campaign of the RP-Smart Gilas squad, whose top official, Manny V. Pangilinan, heads the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and is team owner of the Talk N Text squad.

Barrios urged both parties involved in the negotiations to seriously review the requirements specified in the Uniform Players Contract or UPC.

Under the UPC, players are contracted to play for only two teams, Barrios pointed out, namely, his mother ballclub and in national teams formed by the PBA.

“It’s not to say that it (trade) will be disallowed,” added the commissioner. “But what I want to propose to the board is for the PBA to adopt a long-standing policy, and not on a case-to-case basis, that will be responsive to the need of the national team.

Kelly Williams Soon a Texter

(From Inquirer)

Negotiation for Kelly Williams’ transfer to Talk ‘N Text from Sta. Lucia Realty is expected to get going soon following the expression of gratitude of Texters governor Ricky Vargas recently.

In a radio interview Monday, Vargas thanked Realtors counterpart Buddy Encarnado for his willingness to let go of the 6-foot-7 Williams to play for Smart Gilas in several international tournaments later this year.

But Williams’ case will be far different from that of Japeth Aguilar’s, who the Texters acquired from Burger King (now Air21) but shipped immediately to the Philippine training pool under Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

Williams, should the deal push through, will play as a Texter in the PBA and will not be used entirely by Smart Gilas, according to Vargas in the same interview.

Vargas added that in exchange, the Realtors can pick any player from the Talk ‘N text roster except Jimmy Alapag, Harvey Carrey, Jason Castro and Mac Cardona.

Gilas Acquires Fil-Am Lutz, Eyes Williams

(From GMA News)

Marshall University standout, Fil-American Chris Lutz, has agreed to play for the Smart-Gilas national developmental team.

Smart-Gilas team captain Chris Tiu confirmed this through his Twitter account. Tiu and the rest of the squad are currently playing tune up matches in the United States against crack teams composed of NBA Draft prospects.

Lutz, a 24-year-old combo guard, was the all-time leading scorer of his high school squad Trinity High before he went to Marshall University.

This season, the 6-foot-3 Lutz averaged 8.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while playing for the US NCAA Division I team.

Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes, who personally saw Lutz played, believes he will be a vital cog for the national team aspirants.

“I had the opportunity of seeing him play here. Smart-Gilas was playing tune up games against us and I was impressed with his versatility. He can shoot, can slash and plays with a lot of energy," said Reyes.

Lutz, whose mother Luzviminda is Filipina and father Wayne is American, will arrive middle of this month.

But Lutz may turn out to be just one of the few additions for Smart-Gilas, which wrapped up its US joust with a tough tune up match against the Impact All-Stars beefed up by Edgar Sosa and Lance Stephenson, two NBA draftees.

The national team aspirants lost, 99-108.

The All-Stars were bannered by Fil-Italian Chris Banchero, who finished with 22 points and four assists. Banchero, a 6-foot-1 guard, is also being seriously considered to be given a spot in the Smart-Gilas squad.

Williams to the rescue?

The name of Kelly Williams, 2007-2008 Most Valuable Player in the PBA, cropped up again.

This after Sta. Lucia management, led by PBA board representative Buddy Encarnado, made it known his intentions of loaning Williams and former Rookie of the Year Ryan Reyes to the Nationals.

A source, who requested anonymity told GMANews.TV that Williams and Reyes will most likely be traded to the Talk N Text Tropang Texters in exchange for some of the squad’s marquee players.

“They should make it more enticing because we will unload our marquee players. But we’re doing this as our way of help to the national team," said Encarnado. “What do we get in return depends on them (Talk N Text and Smart-Gilas) because they’re the ones requesting for our players. They’re the ones who should offer us."

Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez said that he has yet to talk to Encarnado regarding their team’s next plan.