After a wonderful experience in Macau, Blackwater Elite owner Dioceldo Sy wants to share it to the rest of the PBA.
Unlike in the Summer Super 8, where the NLEX Road Warriors and the Blackwater Elite played, no PBA team saw action in The Terrific 12, as the 2018 Governors’ Cup is currently in progress.
The lone Philippine contingent was the iECO Green Warriors, whom Sy also owns. iECO were bannered by 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup champions Go for Gold Scratchers.
The Green Warriors failed to make the semifinals as they went 0-2 in the group stages.
“I’ll be meeting PBA commissioner Willie Marcial next week. I want to discuss with him regarding this,” the amiable executive told Tiebreaker Times, Saturday afternoon in Macau.
Sy is friends with Asia League CEO Matt Beyer, and he revealed that he had already floated an idea to have three PBA teams in either the Summer Super 8 or in The Terrific 12 likely next year.
And that is an idea the league loves, as it will definitely draw Filipino crowds.
“I proposed to Matt Beyer to have three PBA teams: one from MVP group, one from San Miguel group, and the other one would be Blackwater,” said the long-time sports patron.
“They are looking forward to having three Filipino teams. As you know Filipino fans are crazy for basketball,” Sy added. “It’s on the PBA’s court na, if they will allow three teams to come over.
“Rest assured that I’ll work my best to convince the PBA.”
What makes Sy eager to put PBA teams in Asia League spectacle is that it will not only help the teams and players get exposure, but it will help the Filipino pro league’s international relations as well.
“I think it’s a good way of networking for PBA to be with KBL, Japan, CBA as among Asia’s best ball clubs will be here,” he said.
“And it’s for the betterment of Philippine basketball as well.”
