By Rey Joble

THE waiting game is finally over for Yeng Guiao and his RP quintet.

The goodwill series between the Powerade-RP squad and the three-time National Basketball League champion Sydney Spirit will finally push through.

Sydney Spirit marketing manager Marco Selorio told Standard Today that based on the communication letter sent to the Philippine Basketball Association, the goodwill games will be a two-game series from April 2 to 6. The games will be held either at The Arena in San Juan or Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Selorio also revealed that seven players have already given confirmation to play in the goodwill series—veteran Bruce Bolden, Graeme Dann, Eban Hyams, Clint Reed, Ian Crosswhite, Tony Lalic and Goran Veg. Additional players may come from either the Melbourne Tigers or the Southern Dragons. Both teams are battling it out in the NBL grand finals.

“This is indeed a welcome development from us. Several players want to express their interest to play, but they are either committed in other leagues or on the injured list. But we promised to give the Filipino fans a treat,” said Selorio, a Filipino now based in Sydney.

Jason Smith, a veteran of the World Basketball Championship and former Finals Most Valuable Player in the NBL, is willing to play for the Spirit, but the schedule might run in conflict with the tournament he’s playing right now in the United States.

Smith played for the Sydney Kings in 2005 and they went up against the Chot Reyes-mentored RP squad in another exhibition match.

The PBA had agreed to shoulder the airfare, hotel accommodation, travel and food expense of the Spirit for the goodwill series to provide the national squad some exposure before it plunges to action in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association, the Jones Cup tournament and the FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship.

Powerade-RP team coach Yeng Guiao believes this goodwill series is vital for his squad as it will sharpen them as a unit. “They’re bigger and more physical,” said Guiao. “This series will at least prepare us for the coming SEABA tournament as we might encounter teams that play a similar style.”