THE Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) went on with its national congress Wednesday at the Century Park Hotel and elected its own 25-man board of trustees which the group intended to be the genuine BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP).

The procedures were presided over by BAP president Prospero Pichay and its chairman, Rep. Luis Villafuerte.

“We tried to reach out to the other group and two nights ago, we offered a compromise and I found out na hindi pala sila lalaki kausap,” Pichay said.

“We are the majority of the stakeholders of basketball and we’ll be ready to defend basketball against those na may personal interest sa sport,” Pichay told representatives of 67 out of the 80 BAP-affiliated associations who attended the congress.

Former BAP president Go Teng Kok was present, along with Christian Tan and lawyer Boni Alentajan, two signatories in the Bangkok Accord that was forged last year that led to the creation of the BAP-SBP.

Pichay would set another meeting for the election of the new set of officers because Villafuerte had to rush to the House of Representatives.

BAP-SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio told the BusinessMirror that Manny V. Pangilinan, the BAP-SBP president, would not comment on what transpired Wednesday. The Pangilinan group, which is recognized by the International Basketball Association, will hold its elections on June 12 at the Dusit Hotel.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) spokesman Joey Romasanta said the POC would merely observe the situation although he reiterated the POC’s recognition of the Pangilinan group.

Curiously, four of the 19 associations who were given regular and voting memberships by the Pangilinan group sent representatives to the BAP exercise. They were Vivian Manila of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League, Cagayan de Oro Schools Athletic Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association-South.

Manila got a seat in the 25-man board of trustees of the Pichay group along with Leoncio Chua.

Also named in the BAP–initiated board were Tony Fabico, Rizalito Delmoro, Dr. Godofredo Gallega, Pichay, Manny Gatchalian, Villafuerte, Wilson Young, Celestino Martinez, Menchie Pador, Douglas Cagas, Rey Baula, Yol Benoza, Eubert Atelano, Tisha Abundo, Edward Chua, Lorenzo Sy, Lito Alvarez, Andy Jao, Christian Tan, Tony Itoralde and Alex Wang.

Lot of love and a lot more hate

If, as Jerry West says, the National basketball Association’s (NBA) greatest rivalry wasn’t a rivalry at first since the Lakers never won in the ‘60s and the Boston Celtics never lost, it already seemed bigger than mere life or death, at least in West’s life.

Pacman’s road to greatness unfinished

Bob Arum is largely credited for honing raw potential into ring legends by featuring them in marquee matchups he deftly set up through his Top Rank Inc. outfit.

A ONE-OF-A-KIND opening ceremonies will usher in the 71st season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), which starts off with the men’s basketball tournament on July 5 at the Araneta Coliseum.

ALEX PAGULAYAN shoots for a title on home soil since winning the World Pool Masters in the Cebu leg of the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup at The Atrium of SM City Cebu from June 20 to 22.

Mars Pucay heads the Philippine campaign in the Asian Tour’s Bangkok Airways Open, which starts today at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Koh Samui, Thailand.

THE Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) went on with its national congress Wednesday at the Century Park Hotel and elected its own 25-man board of trustees which the group intended to be the genuine BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP).

ABOUT the renewed rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics, I am absolutely speechless.

I think I saw the handwriting on the wall, read it in tea leaves and discerned it from runes and animal innards since a few months back and hoped to the highest heavens that it would come true.