The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has taken a dizzying series of twists and turns only to go back to square one by sending a men’s basketball team to the 18th Asian Games.

Nearly two weeks ago, the SBP announced that it would no longer use the original Gilas Pilipinas core for the Asian Games.

Instead, it would deploy Rain or Shine players bolstered by additional Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) stars upon the request of new national team coach Yeng Guiao.

It wasn’t the scenario Philippine basketball fans were expecting, but it was something they accepted in light of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) sanctions brought by the ugly brawl with Australia.

Strangely enough, just hours after that announcement, the SBP released a statement saying they would be pulling out of the Asian Games, something that strongly contradicts their earlier position.

They implied that they would rather focus on the next Fiba World Cup Qualifying windows rather than send a team that, for all intents and purposes, was not the finest the Philippines could muster.

At best, the SBP didn’t want itself and the country misrepresented at the quadrennial meet.

Predictably, though, Filipino fans would have none of it.

Almost immediately, despite the SBP’s late-night press release, social media exploded with vitriolic reactions about its withdrawal.

Not surprisingly, the SBP PR machine went on damage control in the next few days and, along with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the NSA doubled down on its position even as pressure mounted from all corners of Philippines basketball.

Sonny Jaworski was disappointed with the decision as well as Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who even hinted that if the POC wanted, a selection from his Maharlika Basketball League could be sent, instead.

The PBA seemed fragmented by the SBP’s withdrawal with San Miguel Corp. expressing its dismay not just about the decision but about being left out of the process that led to the withdrawal.

Even with the celebrated Batang Gilas U18 team leaving for the 2018 FIBA U18 Asia Championship in Thailand and with the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals going on, the Asiad withdrawal issue refused to die down and the pressure remains considerably strong.

Enter Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

Go was a catalyst for the SBP’s finally relenting and, for the second time, making yet another U-turn.

The fact that the government, through Go, had to step in is a little alarming, especially since the SBP is a private entity.

But with Philippine basketball holding a uniquely hallowed space in the fabric of Filipino culture and identity, it’s no real shocker that it had to happen this way.

Much of it also has to do with the booming and almost deafening social media uproar from fans, who wanted to be represented by their idols in the Asiad even if they weren’t necessarily the elite of the elite.

The message directed at the SBP was clear: They want representation.

They want Philippine basketball on the Asiad, even if that meant that the country wouldn’t be among the favorites.

Now, as far as initial roster impressions go, the 14-man pool named by the SBP and PBA is actually competitive.

It has big men in Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan, JP Erram, Asi Taulava, and Christian Standhardinger as well as wingers Gabe Norwood, James Yap, Don Trollano, Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero.

Over in the backcourt, playmaking duties will fall on the shoulders of Maverick Ahanmisi, Chris Tiu, Paul Lee and Stanley Pringle.

But the question is: are they all eligible?

Remember that eligibility regulations in the Asian Games are not similar to that of Fiba, which is why Andray Blatche failed to play in 2014.

Aside from obtaining or proving citizenship, residency is critical in establishing eligibility.

The key provisions in Asian Games eligibility can be found in Article 53 of the Olympic Council of Asia Constitution and Rules (2017 edition), specifically sub-sections no. 2 and no. 3, which state:

2. Competitors will be eligible if they comply with the following qualifications:

a. That they were born in the country they represent:

b. That they are nationals or citizens of the country they represent and have lived there continuously for a period of not less than three years;

c. That they have become naturalized in the country they represent and have permanent residence there.

3. Competitors born outside Asia cannot be qualified unless they meet conditions in 2 b & c, where applicable.”

Of the 14 players, the ones for whom these provisions may apply, by virtue of their being born outside the Philippines and outside Asia are Norwood, Taulava, Ahanmisi, Standhardinger and Pringle.

Since Norwood and Taulava already played in past Asian Games, they’re good to go. As for the California-born Ahanmisi, he has the papers and has been residing in the Philippines since 2014, so he should be cleared.

Pringle, for his part, started his PBA career and has been living here also since 2014 so he’s also cleared.

Standhardinger is the one who may be deemed ineligible in the same way Blatche was in 2014.

The Filipino-German born in Munich has only lived in the Philippines starting in 2017 and though he has represented the country in the FIBA Asia Cup and 3×3 World Cup, even those may not be enough to make him eligible to play for Gilas in the Asian Games.

That’s the next hurdle the SBP has to overcome.