Whether Smart Gilas sees action depends on Barako Bull’s decision to return or not after taking a leave of absence in the coming second conference. In a historic franchise owners’ meeting last Tuesday, the PBA gave Smart Gilas the option to play or not if Barako Bull opts to extend its leave.

Salud said he realizes if Smart Gilas drafts PBA cagers, it will mean the pro recruits playing against their mother teams. He saw no conflict of interest in the situation even as Smart Gilas will be a regular contender for the championship.

Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman has not confirmed which PBA players may be tapped to bolster the national squad but it is widely rumored that the choices will come from teams owned by SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan. The players in a speculative “wish list” are Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Ryan Reyes and Ranidel de Ocampo.

“The direction from our owners and the Board of Governors is to assist our national team and we’ll do our best to comply,” said Salud, leaving the door open for Smart Gilas to play in the third conference.

Smart Gilas will take Barako Bull’s spot as the 10th team in the second conference starting with a Ginebra San Miguel-Meralco game in Laoag on Feb. 18. Toroman’s team will employ a 14-man lineup to include 6-10 naturalization candidate Marcus Douthit, Fullerton State standout Marcio Lassiter, Chris Tiu, J. V. Casio, Mac Baracael and Mark Barroca.

PBA media bureau chief Willy Marcial said Smart Gilas’ first two games will be against “sister teams” Talk ‘N’ Text and Meralco. The second conference starts off with a single round-robin elimination after which the top two teams qualify for the semifinals outright, the next four figure in separate best-of-three quarterfinals series and the last four are booted out of contention. The quarterfinal survivors then square off with the automatic qualifiers in a pair of best-of-five semifinal ties. The winners then tangle in the best-of-seven finals. Except Smart Gilas, each PBA team is allowed to recruit an import with a maximum height of 6-4. Because a team plays only nine games in the eliminations, the choice of blue-chip imports becomes critical as there will be little time to test players’ skills. Marcial said after the Philippine Cup finals, a dispersal draft will be held for PBA teams to pick up players from Barako Bull. The draft order will be the reverse standings in the first conference with No. 9 Powerade picking first and the champion – either Talk ‘N’ Text or San Miguel Beer – choosing last in the opening round. The salaries of players not selected in the dispersal draft will be absorbed by the PBA, taking from Barako Bull’s equity and share of league revenues.

Marcial said Barako Bull will receive its share of TV income in the second conference despite sitting out the action but will not take a cut from ticket sales and whatever sponsorship money is raised during its leave of absence.

Joaquin Henson, Philippine Star