By Ronnie Nathanielsz

FOLLOWING the last-minute cancellation of a two-game stint between the all-pro Philippine National Basketball Team coached by Yeng Guiao and the Puerto Rican national champions comes more disturbing news?this time about the Southeast Asia Basketball Association championships.

The Philippine Basketball Association was initially informed that the tentative dates for the Seaba tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the Fiba Asia Men?s Championships in Tianjin City, China, were from May 12 to 20. The Asia Men?s Championships will in turn be the qualifying tournament for the World Basketball Championships.

Although the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the national sports association for the sport, provided the PBA with the tentative dates for the Seaba tournament, it had no indication at that time as to where the tournament would be held.

But when contacted by www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports in Kuala Lumpur late Wednesday, Fiba Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock said that Indonesia was supposed to announce the date, indicating that Jakarta was regarded as the host.

But in a follow-up call to the official press contact of the Indonesian National Federation, Standard Today was informed by Lutfi Sukri that Indonesia was not hosting the Seaba, adding that Jakarta would host only the Asia Champions Cup scheduled for May 12 to 20.

PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios expressed concern over the uncertainty since the April dates were taken into consideration in drawing up the schedule of the pro league?s import-reinforced conference since the National Team is made up of players from several PBA teams.

Meanwhile, the PBA has refuted claims by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director and former PBA commissioner Noli Eala that he never committed anything to the PBA about a two-game stint between the all-pro RP Team and Puerto Rican champions Capitanes de Arecibo and was surprised that some people whom he did not identify were making a big issue out of this.

The PBA furnished Standard Today a copy of an e-mail dated Feb. 3 at 1:19 p.m., addressed to PBA executive director Ricky Santos from Jen Hernandez of SBP Operations, in which she wrote: ?The dates covering the visit of Capitanes de Arecibo of Puerto Rico will be Feb. 20 to 26.?

The e-mail went on to detail the arrival of the Puerto Rican team today, followed by a game against the National Team tomorrow and a game against the Smart Gilas Pilipinas national men?s team of coach Rajko Toroman.