COACH CHOT READY TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AFTER MIAMI CAMP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 24 Jul 2014
Reyes.
Gilas Pilipinas national coach Chot Reyes is ready to make some tough decisions after the players in the Philippine national pool end their training camp in Miami, Florida and head to Spain for the World Cup in late August. The team leaves today (Friday).
In a way the pull-out of Larry Fonacier due to injuries which Reyes said were evident in the Talk N? Text stalwarts game in the last PBA conference may have made his task a little simpler but it still means ?we have to make some tough decisions.?
One of those decisions will center on Rain Or Shine guard Paul Lee who had an outstanding PBA Governors Cup and was the hero in the Philippines bronze medal finish in the recent FIBA Asia Championships in Wuhan, China when he coolly converted three free throws after he was fouled when attempting a three-point shot in the last second of the game to give Gilas Pilipinas a gut-wrenching 71-70 victory.
Reyes told the Manila Standard the paramount concern is the national team and in choosing players to represent the country he said ?we will set aside sentiment and emotion? knowing that the players who helped the Philippines earn a coveted spot in the World Cup by their remarkable runner-up finish in the qualifying FIBA Asia Championships last year felt they deserve to go to Spain as a reward for their efforts.
Reflecting on the decision of Fonacier to pull out of the team on the insistence of Dr. Aber Canlas, Reyes said ?that?s why we had additional players in the pool.?
In announcing the pull-out of Fonacier, Reyes in an official statement said ?It is with deep sadness that we have to accept Larry?s request to beg off the Gilas pool for the meantime.?
He said ?unknown to many, Larry has been playing through a variety of foot and back injuries that have bothered him the past two years; and it is only his great dedication that has prevented him from taking any time off.?
Reyes said ?however the rigors of playing almost non-stop in the PBA and national team for the past three years has taken its toll, leaving Larry with no recourse but to accede to his doctors orders for complete rest and rehabilitation. We will definitely miss Larry?s quiet leadership and unyielding heart.?
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