MVP Offers Big Incentive for RP Team

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president, businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan offered the Powerade Team Filipinas a big incentive should they make it to the top three in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championships which open in Tianjin, China on Thursday.

At a dinner he hosted at Jill’s restaurant in The Fort on the eve of the team’s departure, Pangilinan said he would give the team a bonus of P10 million if they finish first, P5 million if they finish second and P3 million if they get third place and qualify for the World Basketball Championships in Turkey next year.

At the same time Pangilinan said that should the team make it even to the quarter finals he will give them a cash prize and a cell phone but would discuss the details with PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios and national coach Yeng Guiao.

In his extemporaneous remarks to the players Pangilinan said “we just expect you to try your best . That for us at SBP is good enough. Of course if you win that’s better because you win for the country.”

Pangilinan shared the sentiments of SBP vice chairman and former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas that “the country is greater than any single individual player or any single team. So you should be ready to sacrifice for the country. Our hopes and our prayers go with you and we wish you the best, especially coach Yeng (Guiao).”

Addressing the Powerade team Vargas said “you made a choice to play for country. You made a choice to play for the Philippines and now it’s a bigger choice than you ever imagined.” Vargas added “we only have very positive hopes for you.”

Referring to what one commentator said Vargas noted “individually you are better in terms of skill than any other team but what was lacking was we needed to play together. They are big, but they are not unbeatable.”

Coach Guiao said “I hope we all value this once-in-a-lifetime chance. We never know when its coming again. This is our best chance to prove ourselves. We are not just playing for ourselves, we are playing for our country and representing the league. It is more important than a PBA championship, it is more important than an MVP in the PBA. There is nothing more important than representing your country and winning for your country.”