NATURALIZED player Andray Blatche wished men’s national team the best of luck as he opted not to play in the International Basketball Federation Asia Cup from August 8 to 20 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Gilas Head Coach Chot Reyes announced the final 12 roster for Gilas Pilipinas late on Tuesday night with the 6-foot-11 Blatche absent on the list.
Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger fills the huge void as the naturalized player option.
“I will always be very thankful for the opportunity, the love and the support I have received from my Filipino family, but [it’s] a lot of reasons why I can’t join and I don’t expect [for] many people to understand,” Blatche said through his social-media account.
Blatche has hinted on his hesitation to play in Lebanon even before Reyes announced the team’s roster. The American said he worried about security in Lebanon.
The longtime Gilas reinforcement that gave the country added ceiling and talent in the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain did not specify the main reason he opted out of the team. He just gave his encourging words for his teammates.
“I do wish my brothers the best of luck,” he said.
Reyes also was tight-lipped on Blatche.
Top Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) officials have signified their intention to shop for a new naturalized player, even stressing on maintaining two for the team.
“We got some huge shoes to fill, but as always, we will fight until the end,” Reyes said.
Besides Standhardinger, the team is composed of Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva and Raymond Almazan, and young guns Jio Jalalon, Roger Pogoy, Carl Bryan Cruz and Matthew Wright.