AGUILAR MAKES FINAL GILAS LINE-UP
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 12 Jul 2013
Japeth Aguilar completes the 12-man Philippine team line up submitted by head coach Chot Reyes and his assistants to Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan to represent the country in its hosting of the coming 27th FIBA-Asia championship.
?Belga gets cut, ?Reyes disclosed yesterday in a text message by way of answering a query from the PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY as to whether he and his coaching staff had completed finalizing the Gilas-Pilipinas? lineup in time for the deadline for submission of official entry which falls today.
By Belga, Reyes, who is now in New Zealand along with the 13-man national training pool, was referring to the burly Rain or Shine slotman Beau Belga, who, up to the last minute of final selection was breathing on Aguilar?s neck for the 12th and final slot.
Aguilar's choice, thus,m Rounded out the hosts? official roster -- Jimmy Alapag, Jason Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo and Larry Fonacier of Philippine Cup champion Talk ?N Text; Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood of Rain Or Shine, June Mar Fajardo of Petron, Mark Pingris of San Mig Coffee, L.A. Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Gary David of Global Port and naturalized player Marcus Douthit.
The official lineup was sent by team manager Butch Antonio to Pangilinan via e-mail yesterday before the team took a bus for practice session in preparation for the Nationals? tune up game against Napier Bay Hawks today.
Obviously, the coaching staff, put premium on height in opting for Aguilar, formerly of Global Port before being traded to Ginebra, whose 6-foot-9 inches frame is superior to Belga?s 6-5. Aguilar is the son of former PBA campaigner Peter who is now based in Chicago.
The younger Aguilar played for U.S. NCAA division I team Western Kentucky University.
?Japeth?s mobility, well, he?s definitely quicker than Beau, has also been put into consideration,? team manager Antonio told this writer in a separate text message, adding that such an advantage ?augurs well in the team?s defensive trapping philosophy.?
?Yeah, the speed we have been concentrating on since we got started has not been sacrificed with Japeth?s choice,? Reyes pointed out. ?And at the same time, madagdagan ang height ng team.?
Aguilar's international experience having played in the 2007 and 2009 FIBA-Asia tournaments as well as last year's Jones Cup, also mattered in his selection over Belga whose only overseas sting was helping the Philippines win the 1007 Southeast Asian Games.
Only three players in the PH lineup stand under six-feet ? Tenorio, the smallest at 5-8, Alapag, 5-9, and Castro, 5-10. Douthit is the tallest at 6-11, followed by Fajardo, 6-10, Norwood, 6-5, Pingris, 6-4, David, 6-2, Fonacier, 6-2, and Chan 6-1.
Both Reyes and Antonio as well as assistant Jong Uichico, were all praises for Belga for the latter?s exemplary attitude and sacrifices in attending all the team?s practice sessions since answering Reyes? call for him and other PBA players to at least lend their hands at the time when the original 17-man national training were still recovering from the rigors of the then just-concluded PBA Commissioner?s Cup.
?Napakalaking tulong ang nagawa ni Beau from the time he responded to my appeal to just be present at our practices so we can have complete lineups in our offensive and defensive drills to the time we travel to Lithuania and here,? Reyes said.
?He never skipped a workout. Napakatiyaga considering that we didn?t promise him anything,? Reyes said. ?Not even a place in the final 12. Nothing, and yet he continues to play the role assigned him in our preparations. Very unselfish.?
Belga, according to Reyes will continue to be at the core of the team?s rotation in the remaining period of preparations. ?We still need him just in case someone gets injured from now until the opening day. We still have chance naman to change the lineup during the team managers and coaches? meeting on the eve of the opening ceremonies.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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