GILAS SEES ACTION IN FIBA ASIA CUP
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 10 Jul 2014
The road to reclaiming the glory the Philippines once enjoyed in the international basketball scene starts this Saturday when Gilas Pilipinas plunges into action in the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China.
A 12-man lineup, headed by FIBA Asia silver medalist veterans Marcus Douthit, Ranidel de Ocampo, L.A. Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Jun Mar Fajardo, Gary David and Beau Belga and newly-recruited Paul Lee, Jay Washington and Jared Dillinger as well as amateur standouts Kevin Alas, Garvo Lanete flies today to Wuhan along with members of the coaching staff in what serves as the first step in the team's preparations for the coming World Cup later this year in Spain.
Heading today's departure are head coach Chot Reyes, team manager Aboy Castro and assistant coaches Jong Uichico and Ryan Gregorio.
Reyes' boys were actually culled from a 20 or so list comprising the national pool that also includes FIBA Asia standouts Jason Castro, Jimmy Alapag, Larry Fonacier, Mark Pingris, Gabe Norwood, Jeff Chan, naturalized NBA recruit Andray Blatche, another new face Greg Slaughger and amateurs Matt Ganuelas, Jake Pascual and Ronald Pascual.
Castro, the only Filipino to make it to the FIBA Asia mythical selection following the WC qualifying tournament held in Manila last year, Talk 'N Text teammates Alapag and Fonacier, Pingris of SanMig Coffee, and Rain or Shine's Norwood and Chan begged off from the Wuhan trip to rest after their grueling stint in the semifinal and final rounds of the PBA Governors' Cup.
The Super Coffee Mixers and the Elasto Painters were still fighting each other last night in Game 5 of their titular series for the Governors' Cup diadem.
The Wuhan trip, according to coach Reyes, is actually the first meeting among members of the team bound for FIBA Asia Cup that will start an 18-game build up program for the World Cup and the subsequent Asian Games.
"I don't expect anything to happen in this trip, except that for the first time, those whom I chose to carry the country's flag in Wuhan will be meeting each other for the first time, play together for the first time and know what our next move will be in forming the team for the World Cup and the Asian Games," Reyes said during last week's inaugural airing of SCOOP Sa Kamayan On Air's SPORTS SABADO over DZAR Radio.
Whether Lee, Dillinger and Washington can fit in to the Gilas system, in particular, will be known in the Nationals' four-game stint in the FIBA Asia Cup, Reyes added during the weekly public service sports program sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Sports Commission and Rain or Shine, that is also seen live via streaming at www.sonshinetvradyon.com.
The three, along with Slaughter and Blatche are names added to the Gilas-Pilipinas roster that ended up second to Iran in 2014 Manila FIBA Asia tournament to reinforce the team for the World Cup, known before as the World Championship where, in the tournament's second edition in 1954, Philippines wound up third.
"The biggest gains we expect to get in this trip," team manger Aboy Castro butted in, " is the bonding and the camaraderie among members of the team who will be seeing each other as teammates for the first time.
After Wuhan, the team will also play against and NBA Selection on July 22 and 23 before leaving for Miami two days later where Reyes will pitch camp and play a couple of more matches against local teams.
Also scheduled when the Filipinos land in Spain are stints in pocket tournaments in Seville and Guadalajara in the hope of gaining the needed exposure and recapture the respect of the entire basketball world the country once enjoyed.
From Spain, the Nationals proceed to Incheon in South Korea for the 17th Asian Games where they will attempt to end the country's 16-year medal drought.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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