Lending Mo Tautuaa and CJ Perez to the Gilas Pilipinas squad set to compete in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 may not be possible.
Though he understands the goal, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial doesn’t think that the league can comply due to conflicting schedules.
“Baka may practice na kami nun. Magsisimula na kami nun,” the amiable executive told Tiebreaker Times over the phone.
Chooks 3×3 chief Eric Altamirano had said earlier that he wanted Tautuaa of San Miguel and Perez of Terra Firma to be with Gilas 3×3 in the new pro league as part of their preparations for the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament set next year in Austria.
Tautuaa and Perez make up the squad, together with the country’s top 3×3 players in Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol.
“Kung ako lang sana masusunod, I would love that. Mas gusto ko ‘yun. If you combine the four players in a competition setting, mas maganda kaysa ‘yung practice lang ng practice,” he said.
The first-of-its-kind league, which gained pro status just weeks ago, is keen on raising the curtains of its second season in September.
And by that time, the PBA — which remains hopeful that it can resume its 45th season — may have begun its own practices as well.
Aside from the conflict of schedules, the two leagues also have different sets of protocols that could make it hard for Gilas 3×3 to work together.
Chooks 3×3 plans to hold practices of all its teams in a centralized training facility before holding legs in INSPIRE Sports Academy in a bubble set-up.
The PBA, on the other hand, has the closed-circuit concept where players should strictly follow the home-gym-home routine.
Altamirano, though, had said that he hopes for both leagues to come up with a ‘win-win situation’ — all for the benefit of Gilas 3×3.
“We have to consider also ‘yung dalawang players natin coming from the PBA, may mga plano rin ‘yung mother teams nila, ‘di ba? They’re about to restart na rin,” the former PBA cager and champion mentor said.
“So, I think it’s a matter of plotting it out para ma-manage natin ‘yung mga schedules of our Chooks players and at the same time ‘yung mga PBA players to be able to practice.”
