MANILA, Philippines – Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships in Wuhan, China hits a snag before it even started.
Gilas’ Fil-Am recruits Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz were ruled ineligible to play barely an hour before the tip-off of their first game against the United Arab of Emirates.
Talk n’ Text coach Chot Reyes, who is in China to assist Gilas coach Rajko Toroman on the national team’s mission, broke the news on his Twitter account (@coachot).
“FIBA Commissioner just told me now that Lutz and Lassiter are ineligible. Only an advise from FIBA in Switzerland cane make them play now,†Reyes said.
Former Samahang basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Noli Eala said in his twitter account (@NoliEala) that “FIBA is invoking the wrong rule. Marcio (Lassiter) and (Chris) Lutz did not acquire citizenship by naturalization. They are natural-born Filipinos by virtue of a Filipino parent.â€
Eala, who is also part of FIBA legal committee, has already advised the SBP on what to do next to salvage Lutz’s and Lassiter’s stint in FIBA-Asia.
Their eligibility was questioned by FIBA-Asia Deputy Secretary-General Hagop Khajirian, who is a Lebanese.
Lutz's mother Luzviminda is a Filipina and also Lassiter's mother Alexandria Eshabarr, whose father traces his roots to Ilocos Sur. Both have played in other FIBA-sanctioned tournaments that is why the national team coaching staff are stunned on the FIBA-Asia decision.
Source: The Philipine Star
