Gilas Pilipinas Coach Chot Reyes
The items are slowly falling in place for the Gilas Pilipinas crew that may gun for the mom of all redemptions for Workforce Philippines within the thirty second Southeast Asian Video games in Cambodia in lower than two weeks.
Justin Brownlee completed cooling his heels and attended apply on Thursday, bringing the full variety of pool members to 14 and coach Chot Reyes feels that reclaiming the cage gold in Phnom Penh—even with manpower woes nonetheless there—could be very achievable contemplating the time he and many of the gamers have had with the group.
“Though there are a whole lot of common [PH members] lacking, we’ve got stability and continuity [of the program] this yr,” Reyes advised the Inquirer over the cellphone after apply when requested in regards to the Gilas 5’s probabilities. “Final yr we had so many transitions—from the coaches to the gamers.
“We’ve had none of that this time.”
The Nationals have been busy getting ready for the previous weeks and Reyes can’t look ahead to the weekend to see the ultimate rosters so far as the opposition is anxious.
Rosters by weekend
“Though we have already got scouted their final video games, we nonetheless have to see who might be enjoying,” Reyes mentioned, conscious that coaches from different international locations can pull off surprises with relaxed eligibility guidelines in impact.
“Proper now, one solely wants a passport to play,” the fiery coach went on. “So, even when we’ve got seen and scouted all of their final video games, there’s nonetheless this opportunity that somebody we don’t know comes as much as play. We don’t need that. So we are going to see who might be up towards by the weekend.”
“We’ll get to know all of them as soon as the ultimate lineups are bared,” assistant Jong Uichico mentioned. “However proper now, we’ve got been doing our due diligence and watching each nation.”
Stranglehold misplaced
The Nationwide squad huddles round Chot Reyes to finish apply at Meralco gymnasium. —DENISON REY A. DALUPANG
The Philippines misplaced the boys’s basketball gold final yr in Hanoi when Indonesia—dealt with by first Gilas program coach Rajko Toroman of Serbia—scored the upset of these Video games.
It was the primary time in additional than three a long time that the Philippines misplaced, a setback that was felt again within the nation and overshadowed the victories of different nationwide athletes there.
Items of dangerous information have come of late, with June Mar Fajardo begging off to get better from a knee harm; Scottie Thompson needing to take care of the start of his little one; Mikey Williams and Jamie Malonzo having prior commitments.
“It’s a actuality we’ve got to cope with,” Reyes mentioned. “We’ve different items on the group and we play with the playing cards that we’re dealt.”
The group departs for Cambodia on Might 6, a day after the Opening Ceremonies, with the cage match to open 4 days later and the Philippines taking the Morodok Techno Nationwide Stadium Elephant Corridor second ground first towards Malaysia at 12 midday in Manila.
Reyes and his teaching workers which incorporates Tim Cone and Jong Uichico will begin a week-long camp at Encourage Academy in Laguna on Sunday, the place they’re anticipated to totally temporary all of the gamers on the opposition in Cambodia.
Bracketed with lightweights Singapore, the Malaysians and the hosts, the Filipinos will advance to the crossover semifinals with no hitch anticipated as the highest two from every group will progress.
The opposite group might be made up of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos and barring main upsets in group play, Workforce Philippines will doubtless get a crack on the Indonesians within the finals.
Requested how he feels in regards to the probabilities of reclaiming misplaced glory by enjoying with the playing cards that he has, Reyes minced no phrases.
“You already know me, I’ve all the time been a fighter,” Reyes mentioned. “I all the time really feel that I’ve an opportunity at profitable and going there might be no completely different.”
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