The Philippine Olympic Committee is hedging on the submission of Jordan Clarkson’s name to the Olympic Council of Asia pending his eligibility check.

A POC insider confirmed that the council received the new roster of players from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) after it cancelled the participation of Talk ‘N Text as country representative to the Asiad following the brawl between the Philippines and Australia in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier early this month.

Clarkson, the26-year old Filipino-American playmaker for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was included in the new roster as well as Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger and Gilas Cadets standouts Kobe Paras, Ricci Rivero and Abu Tratter.

They will be joining the core of Rain or Shine led by Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, James Yap and Raymund Almazan in the 18-man roster that will be handled by Yeng Guiao of NLEX.

But the source said the POC has yet to formally forward the list to the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee, fearing that the OCA will question the inclusion of Clarkson and Standhardinger.

“SBP already sent us its new roster, but we have not sent it to the Indonesian organizers yet,” said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak.

“We would verify it first with OCA if Jordan and Christian are eligible before submitting the roster to the organizers. Because if both of them are not, then we can tweak the roster before formally submitting it.”

Clarkson also has yet to commit to the team, although his father Mike told ABS-CBN that: “(He) can’t release anything right now. But hopefully, (the family will) have some good news really soon here and (they are) hoping everything works out.”

It appears Clarkson will have a hard time making the list, though.

Based on the eligibility guidelines of OCA, a competitor would be eligible to see action if he is born in the country he represents; a national or citizen of that particular country and had lived there continuously for three years; or that he underwent naturalization process and has a permanent residence in the country he wishes to represent.

A competitor born outside Asia is also not eligible to play unless he lives in the country for the past three years and is already a permanent resident of the country he wants to represent.

Clarkson is born to a half-Filipino mother, Anette Davis, in Tampa, Florida and had stayed in the lived in San Antonio, Texas since he was six.

Although he visited Manila to express his willingness to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship in 2015, he returned to Los Angeles to resume his professional career with the Lakers before being traded to the Cavaliers in the middle of the last National Basketball Association season.

His case has similarities with Andray Blatche’s, who underwent naturalization in 2014 a few weeks before Gilas Pilipinas saw action in the FIBA World Championship in Spain.

After the World Championship, he was tapped by SBP to be part of the squad in the Incheon Asian Games but the organizers barred him from competing since he was born in New York and has yet to stay in the county for at least three years. He did not have a permanent residence in the Philippines.

Blatche sat out and Gilas Pilipinas went on to finish seventh – far from the projection that it would give heavyweights Iran, China and South Korea a run for their money in the prestigious quadrennial tourney.

The source said they want to avoid this scenario.

“That’s why we want to clarify it first with OCA if Jordan and Christian are both eligible,” the source said.

“We want to make sure that they are eligible so we can come up with necessary changes if ever. The clock is ticking so we have to move fast.”

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