ARRIVING at the 12 players to make up the additions for the national men’s basketball team pool was no easy task but the people behind the Gilas Pilipinas program managed to do so following a lot of consultations among the coaching staff. This was shared by returning coach Chot Reyes as they revealed the names of the add-ons to the group that will banner the country’s cause in international competitions.
In an announcement made last Sunday, Mr. Reyes and officials of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas unveiled the list of players added to the Gilas Pilipinas pool.
Said players were culled from the 12 competing teams in the Philippine Basketball Association -- one per ball club -- as agreed upon by the SBP and the PBA.
Making up the additions are June Mar Fajardo of the San Miguel Beermen, Terrence Romeo of the GlobalPort Batang Pier, Jayson Castro of the TNT KaTropa, Japeth Aguilar of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, Calvin Abueva of the Alaska Aces, Raymond Almazan of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Paul Lee of the Star Hotshots, Jonathan Grey of the Meralco Bolts, Bradwyn Guinto of the NLEX Road Warriors, Arthur Dela Cruz of the Blackwater Elite, LA Revilla of the Mahindra Floodbuster and Norbert Torres of the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters.
Said players, in turn, join forces with Gilas cadet members now seeing action in the PBA, namely, Mac Belo (Blackwater), Matthew Wright (Phoenix), Jio Jalalon (Star), Kevin Ferrer (Barangay Ginebra), Von Pessumal (GlobalPort), Ed Daquioag (Meralco), Mike Tolomia (Rain or Shine), Carl Bryan Cruz (Alaska), Russell Escoto (Mahindra), Roger Pogoy (TNT), Arnold Van Opstal (San Miguel) and Fonzo Gotladera (NLEX).
“Before the lineup was made public, we in the coaching staff really consulted among ourselves who to select,” said Mr. Reyes, who counts son Josh, former Gilas player Jimmy Alapag and PBA coach Jong Uichico as part of his coaching staff with former Gilas coach Tab Baldwin as consultant.
“It’s a very young team but balanced and versatile. It’s a mix of everything we want to see in our system,” said the returning coach even as he underscored that they may still make some tweaks in it as they see fit moving forward.
“We have a very clear picture of the kind of game that we want to play. We wanted the best players that can fit and implement that kind of game. So for now, this is the 24 players that we will work with along with Andray Blatche who is our naturalized player,” Mr. Reyes added.
PREPARING THE TEAM
Mr. Reyes went on to say that the challenge now is preparing the team for the competitions ahead, beginning with the Southeast Asia Basketball (SEABA) Championship this April which the country is hosting.
While the Philippines has had a great success in the SEABA Championship, winning it seven times already, including the last one in 2015, Mr. Reyes highlighted the need for Gilas to be at its best in the tournament as a lot hinges on it, particularly the country’s stint in the FIBA Asia Cup later this year and, hopefully, the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.
“We need to win the SEABA to be able to play in FIBA Asia. We are bent on bringing the strongest team for the SEABA considering our Southeast Asian neighbors have really improved a lot. We’re focused on it and don’t want to risk our chances,” Mr. Reyes said.
For local basketball analyst Levi Verora, Jr., that Mr. Reyes and the Gilas coaching staff went the way they did with their player selection was not at all surprising.
“There was nothing really surprising about the selection. It’s all about the system and these players fit the system that they want. You have a good mix of young veterans who have Gilas experience and players to develop,” said Mr. Verora when asked by BusinessWorld for his thoughts on the Gilas pool.
“I think the message is clear that Coach Chot is looking at the program long term. He mentioned that they are aiming to compete in the World Cup in 2019 that is why there are lot of young guys in the pool like from Phoenix Norbert Torres and Meralco’s Jonathan Grey who were part of the junior national teams in the past. Guys like Bradwyn Guinto and Art Dela Cruz, by 2019 these players will already be matured,” the analyst said.
Mr. Verora agreed that for Gilas it all starts with the SEABA Championship, necessitating the need to have best team possible.
“The thing about the SEABA is that it will not be easy for us. We have to remember that we have to win that to take us to the other tournaments. Maybe we can send half cadets and veterans depending on the availability of players so as to make sure we get everything covered and secure the title,” he said.
The SEABA Championship 2017 happens from April 23-30. The last time the Philippines hosted the regional tournament was in 2001 where it won its second consecutive title.
