Constant changing of rosters RP Team falters to 4th place in 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima Japan

As a result of winning the All Filipino title, San Miguel will represent the basketball team in Asian Games that will be held in Hiroshima, Japan.

indication is Black will enlist Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino, Jeffrey Cariaso, Kenneth Duremdes, and E.J. Feihl to combine forces with Caidic, Hector Calma, Yves Dignadice, Renato Agustin, Franz Pumaren, Alvin Teng, and Ramon Fernandez. Lim will not be able to play because of a knee ailment while Art de la Cruz, Biboy Ravanes, Kevin Ramas, Dong Polistico, and Rudolf Belmonte must prove themselves deserving of making the final 12-man roster. But during the course of exhibition games there changes needed. Coach Norman Black finally got his request for reinforcements from the PBA as the Board of Governors agreed to lend three more professional cagers to the na- tional squad. And Black has tapped the services of Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera and Rey Evangelista to strengthen the national team made up mostly of San Miguel Beer cagers. The three Hotdogs will join Beermen Renato Agustin, Allan Caidic, Franz Pumaren, Hector Calma, Alvin Teng, Adriano Polistico and Arthur dela Cruz along with amateurs Marlou Aquino and Kenneth Duremdes in the Japan trip.

Chinks in the armor of the RP squad surfaced during the five-game exhibition series accompanying the Purefoods - Alaska best-of-seven show-down for the Commissioner's Cup crown. Aside from falling short of expectations, the Nationals were further crippled by injuries hampering Caidic, Agustin, dela Cruz and even seven-footer Joseph Feihl.  With time running out on the RP squad, Black sent distress signals to PBA Commissioner Jun Bernardino hoping that the Board will agree to lend more pros to the RP cause. And the Board turned out to be unselfish in putting forward the interest of the nation before anything else. Actually, the Board gave Black a choice by allowing the RP mentor to choose three players from any team. That team, in return, will likewise be seeded into the semis of the Governors' Cup the same way San Miguel is seeded.

Black had the option to get the troika of Johnny Abarrientos, Rene Hawkins and Jojo Lastimosa from Alaska or the trio of Vergel Meneses, Nelson Asaytono and Alfonso Solis from Swift.
In the end, he opted for the Purefoods frontline knowing fully well that Patrimonio and company were what the RP squad really needed. Actually, Patrimonio and Codinera were shoo-ins and the only point that needed much deliberation from the RP Team coaching staff was whether to get Evangelista or defense specialist Glenn Capacio. In the end, they chose Evangelista, the leader in this season's Rookie of the year derby. In defending the choice of Evangelista, Black said that the coaching staff had studied the tapes of games of Korea and they noted that a big guy must be used to stop Hur Jae. Evangelista fitted perfectly into the role of stopper.

Last was added Johnny Abarrientos, he is definitely a big plus for the national basketball team campaigning in the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan.No less than coach Norman Black has acknowledged that fact. Despite his puny size, Abarrientos certainly can make the big plays and the big difference in our quest for gold. One can just imagine the tremendous loss Alaska had suffered when it made the patriotic decision of allowing Abarrientos to suit up for the RP five.

Games Results

Philippines  89–76  Kazakhstan
Iran 86–89  Philippines
United Arab Emirates  71–87  Philippines
Philippines  79–86 South Korea

China  85–74  Philippines
Philippines 76–79 Japan

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