ANDRAY BLATCHE is arriving on Saturday evening and will start practicing with Gilas Pilipinas on Monday.
This was confirmed to the BusinessMirror by Gilas Pilipinas Team Manager Butch Antonio, this dousing speculations that the 6-foot-11 naturalized player won’t be suiting up for the men’s national team to the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Men’s Championship in Changsa, China, in September.
Word spread that the former National Basketball Association center-forward’s team in the Chinese Basketball Association, Xinjian Flying Tigers, won’t release him for the September 23 to October 3 qualifier for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
Only the champion team in the Fiba Asia Championship will qualify for Rio.
With Blatche fulfilling his second tour of duty for Gilas Pilipinas, Antonio said it’s now time to focus on the creation of the pool of Head Coach Tab Baldwin.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) have initially agreed to reveal the composition of the national pool on Saturday. But with some key players declining the SBP invitation, the announcement has been moved to Monday.
Baldwin had started selecting members of the pool and conducted a light shoot-around on Wednesday night at the Meralco Gym by some ex-Gilas mainstays and new faces.
Jayson Castro, Gary David and Ranidel de Ocampo, members of the Gilas team that played in the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain, were present on Wednesday night, along with 42-year-old Asi Taulava.
Sonny Thoss, JC Intal, Terrence Romeo, Dondon Hontiveros and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser also joined the shoot-around. Only Romeo has no Gilas experience.
Alaska Head Coach Alex Compton assisted Baldwin during the shoot-around, fueling speculations that he will be part of the coaching staff.
Jimmy Alapag, who is reportedly being lured out by the SBP to come out of retirement and suit up for one last time for Gilas, also joined the scrimmage. He also gave pointers to the players.
Aces forward Calvin Abueva is said to have committed himself to the pool but was absent on Wednesday night. He is playing in the Fiba 3×3 Manila Masters this weekend.
LA Tenorio, Marc Pingris, June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter have turned down the SBP invitation.