SOURCES SAY MCCULLOUGH BAFFLED ON WHY HE NEVER GOT CALL FROM SMB

IT'S been weeks since the PBA Commissioner's Cup ended its elimination series and to this day, one former import of San Miguel remains puzzled as to why he never got a call from the Beermen.

Some observers say the import in question can be considered not your run-of-the-mill, out-of-job, well-past-his-prime journeyman. He is Chris McCullough who led San Miguel to the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup championship over Terrence Jones and the TNT Tropang Giga.

McCullough was in town at about the same time that San Miguel was looking for a player to replace Jabari Narcis, its third import. SMB had already jettisoned two other imports by then as the Beermen struggled to regain their bearings against stronger opponents.

READ No SMB, Magnolia in semis for the first time in five years

The American's credentials are not exactly mediocre. He was a first-round pick of the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015 draft at No. 29 – six rungs lower than TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and is just 30 years old.

San Miguel opted for Malik Pope, 28, who had stints in the NBA G League with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the player did not produce a miracle for the Beermen.

San Miguel eventually failed to make the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade and many blamed their import selection as the main culprit.

PHOTO: Soura Photogaphy

A source very close to McCullough disclosed to SPIN.ph the import was baffled that no member of the team called him or asked about his availability.

"Actually siya rin mismo nagtataka kung bakit hindi siya kinuha ng San Miguel," said the source, who got to talk with the American when he was in the country to see action for the Strong Group Athletics (SGA) in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship.

Sources in the SMB camp said they don't know why McCullough was not hired. But observers wonder if there is some deeper reasons on why the American was not called back.

CONVERGE DISTANCES SELF FROM SGA 'WALKOUT'

SPEAKING of SGA, the management of Converge clarified that it has nothing  to do with the team’s decision not to play in the third-place game against the UAE national squad in the Dubai tournament after SGA complained about the lack of ‘equality and fairness in officiating.’

Converge team governor Archen Cayabyab had to clear the air on the issue since many basketball fans are under the impression the FiberXers and SGA are one and the same.

"Yung nangyari sa Dubai na-associate yung Converge kasi assistant coach namin si Charles (Tiu) and team manager si Jacob Lao. Pero I mean, labas naman 'yung Converge doon," said Cayabyab when asked by reporters during the launch of the new PBA logo for its 50th anniversary celebration.

Tiu is head coach of Strong Group while Lao also is team manager of the company which also owns Farm Fresh and Zeus Coffee teams in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

"The owner of Converge is Mr. Dennis Uy and the owner of SGA is Mr. Frank Lao. Pero magkaibigan naman yan," said Cayabyab.

Cayabyab said Converge management respects the decision of SGA to withdraw from the tournament after losing to Tunisia national team in the semifinals, 68-63, in a game which the team claimed was marred by several ‘officiating inconsistencies.’

SGA apparently had been so frustrated with the officiating that though qualified to play for third place, it decided to abandon the contest which UAE won by forfeiture.

READ SGA says no regrets over no-show in Dubai bronze-medal game

It is still unknown what move organizers will take against SGA or future Philippine teams in light of this conduct. Bad calls are nothing new, specially when hometown teams are involved. But abandoning a game as a protest against referees' calls is rare.

Beirut First went on to claim the title after beating Tunisia in the finals, 80-72.

Asked if Converge would have done the same if it was the one which represented the country in Dubai, Cayabyab said the FiberXers will go on and play the game.

"Kung anuman yung desisyon nila, that’s their (decision)," he said. "Pero kung sa Converge, importante pa rin yung sportsmanship para sa ating lahat."

Cayabyab’s views were shared by the entire PBA board along with Commissioner Willie Marcial.

PHOTO: PVL Images ILLUSTRATION: John Mark Garcia

Naturalization for Van Sickle and Davison stepped up

There is a move to make Brooke Van Sickle and Savi Davison naturalized Filipinos as the country moves full steam ahead to create a superteam for coming international women's volleyball events.

Both Fil-foreign aces are being eyed to join Alas Pilipinas in the near future and local officials are studying the process to move them from their current federations - USA Volleyball for Van Sickle and Volleyball Canada  for Davison.

No timetable has been set to complete the change but local volleyball officials are taking significant strides to bring the league’s new power duo together for flag and country.

The two stars almost played for the same Philippine Volleyball League team.

SPIN.ph learned that one of the league’s title-contending teams made a move for Van Sickle first, then Davison, in 2023.

Unfortunately, signing two superstars under one team would’ve meant breaking the bank as foreigners command a big chunk of a team's budget. A team ussually employs about 20 players.

Van Sickle landed at Petro Gazz early in 2024 where she won her first PVL MVP award.

Davison, who joined PLDT late in 2023, is the current leading scorer and spiker of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.

2025-02-17T10:10:37Z