This should have been epic!!!! Our very own official basketball team, Smart Gilas Pilipinas versus Fibr All stars composed of NBA All Stars, veterans and up and coming stars on a 2 game stint on Smart Araneta!!!
But sad to say, due to unforeseen reasons, the games has to be cancelled. The first game scheduled for July 22 was cancelled just minutes before the tip off.
The second game schedulled for July 23, 2014 and all of the day’s activities were cancelled moments after by PLDT Chairman himself Manny V. Pangilinan or more popularly known as MVP.
The 2 game stint was called The Last Home Stand. These games should have been good warm up exercises for our National Cagers and a moral booster as they head up to Spain next month to compete for the World Championships of Basketball.
Also cancelled are events like the 3 Point Shoot Out and the Slam Dunk Contest.
The Smart Gilas Pilipinas has a full roster composed of professional players from the PBA. Some of the popular players in the squad are LA Tenerio and Japeth Aguilar of Brgy Ginebra, Mark Pingris of San Mig Coffee, Paul Lee and Beu Belga of Rain or Shine and Jun Mar Fajardo of Petron. head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas team is Chot Reyes.
Smart Gilas Pilipinas Last Home Stand Pwede by PLDT
The Smart Gilas Pilipinas Basketball team took home the silver last year at the FIBA Asia last year and got a ticket to play in Spain against the world’s best basketball teams.
The Last Home Stand is a charitable event and proceeds of tickets sales will be donated to Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation and Caritas Manila.
But due to some restrictions on NBA players sanctioned by the Association, the guest NBA players were not allowed to play. One of the probable reasons why they are not allowed to play are on their current contracts for their home teams plus the Last Home Stand was not a NBA event or a NBA officiated game. Heavy fines might await to the NBA players if they attempt to play on the exhibition game.
Reason For Cancellation the Last Home Stand Games
“Today, the NBA called most of the players and threatened them with penalties and suspensions,” said Maria Espaldon of East West, the events group that helped bring the Fibr All-Stars to the Philippines.
“The players were not worried about the penalties. They were worried about the suspensions,” Espaldon added.
East West was the same group that brought the team Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant for the SMART Ultimate All-Star Weekend in 2011.
The suspensions can be a career changing move for the players and they have to act carefully about the sanctions of the NBA. Kyle said he had a morning call from an NBA person and that lead to an emergency meeting with his fellow NBA players.
Already on the Smart Araneta court before the cancellation of Game 1 was announced are Fiber All Stars James Harden, Tyson Chandler,Terrence Ross, Damian Lillard, Demar De Rozan, Kyle Lowry and 2014 NBA finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard. Blake Griffin of the LA Clippers and rising superstar Paul George of the Indiana Pacers were originally scheduled to participate but backed out due to personal reasons.
Instead of treating fans to a wonderful game, the players took on the court to do some basketball drills, dunk exhibitions, dribbling skills and interviews.
The NBA stars also took some selfies with some lucky fans, sign some autographs and threw dozen of signed basketballs to the crowd.
Meanwhile. PLDT Chairman MVP told media that he was “extremely dissapointed” on how things turned out.
For fans who paid for tickets to watch the Last Home Stand live in Smart Araneta, they can get a full refund starting tomorrow, July 23, 2014. They can call the following numbers for more info: 836-5818, 836-5890, 836-5819
“Kung ang nakita niyo ay hindi naayos sa inyong panlasa, kung hindi niyo talaga type ang inyong nakita, we will be ready for a refund,” said Ariel Fermin, PLDT VP for HOME.
Ticket prices ranged from 750 pesos up to 23, 300 Pesos or close to 500 US Dollars!!
Filipino basketball fans have a mixed reaction to what happened. They flock to social media sites like Facebook and twitter to air their sides.
Memes and various hastags or # has become viral materials instantly!!! Epic Fail, this is one of the top trending tags for tonight..
Veteran Sportscaster joins the fray on Twitter!!!
Pero anu man ang mangyari, sana tuloy padin suporta natin sa ating Pambansang Koponan!!!
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