BARRIOS

TIANJIN, CHINA — PBA Commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios considers his experience with the Philippine team in the ongoing FIBA-Asia Championship as one of the highlights of his commissionership.

Being with the RP team, according to Barrios, is an experience worth telling many times over.

It’s wonderful and very fulfilling.

“Not because I may not have the chance to address you guys again, I want to thank you all for this wonderful experience you’ve given me personally,”

Barrios said after the viewing session with RP team coach Yeng Guiao and the rest of the players.

“So far, what you have achieved is us avoiding going home with our heads bowed because of shame that we will be the poorest achievers in the history of PBA (formed RP team),” Barrios added.

“In fact, I think, when we get back to Manila I’ll get a little depressed going back to our respective day jobs. I as your commissioner, you as ball club players, coach here as coach of Burger King,” he said.
 
“But this experience, you know when I retire, and my grandchildren to be asks me ‘Lolo what are your happiest days when you were PBA commissioner?’ With out a doubt I’ll say ‘During the time with you guys.'"

“You will never see me this happy in my day job as PBA commissioner, for making me experience this enjoyment and feeling fulfilled. I will never experience this again,” Barrios added.

It was actually Barrios who handpicked Guiao to form, train and handle the team for this qualifying tournament for the World Championship slated next year in Turkey.

With the team now in the quarterfinals, the country’s worst finish would be eighth, which is better than the disappointing ninth of the previous national team mentored by Chot Reyes during the FIBA-Asia Championship in 2007 in Tokushima, Japan, the qualifying tournament then for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.