GILAS Head Coach Tab Baldwin finally bared his wish list composed of 16 of the finest players in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)—13 of them battle-scarred from international competitions and three showing potentials of making it big on the global stage.
But here’s the hitch—the favorites may end up being dropped from the final 12 that would see action in the Fiba Asia Men’s Championship, the qualifier for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics set two months from now in Hunan, China.
Making up the pool are Talk ‘N Text’s Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Kelly Williams; Alaska’s Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva and Dondon Hontiveros; NLEX’s Asi Taulava and Aldrech Ramos; GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo; Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood; Barako Bull’s JC Intal; and Meralco’s Gary David.
June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel, LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Marc Pingris of Star are also on the list. But because of injuries or personal reasons, the three may not be on the final roster.
There are reports their mother teams in the Philippine Basketball Association are releasing the three to Gilas Pilipinas. But the final decision, their teams said, would be at the player’s discretion. Fajardo is nursing a foot injury, Tenorio said he is fatigued by all the action and Pingris is in France for a two-week vacation.
Abueva, Romeo and Intal have no Gilas experience. But the others have been in the national team program.
De Ocampo, David, Castro, Fajardo, Tenorio, Pingris and Norwood played for Gilas that clinched the silver medal in the 2013 Asian Championship in Manila and in the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain.
The 42-year-old Taulava made the pool as “insurance” in case the six-foot-10 Fajardo begs off. The Road Warrior would be subbing for naturalized player Andray Blatche at the center slot.
Taulava and 38-year-old Hontiveros were part of the 2002 Asian Games team of Jong Uichico that lost to South Korea in the semifinals in Busan. That team finished fourth.
The team had its first practice on Monday at the Meralco Gym. The program would be highlighted by a training camp in Europe.
Baldwin eyed a 26-member pool, but cut it down because of time constraints. The tournament runs from September 23 to October 3.