Smart Gilas bares team for Fiba Asia; Belga fails to make cut

RAIN OR SHINE’S Beau Belga (left) barrels into B-Meg import Marcus Blakely. August dela Cruz

Editor’s Note: INQUIRER.net is reposting this story with the correct one. Our apologies.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine national men’s basketball team trimmed its line- up for the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship to the final 12 on Thursday, with burly enforcer Beau Belga failing to make the team.

Belga, a last-minute addition to the national team pool, is still with the team in Napier, New Zealand for a 10-day camp when the coaching staff made the decision.

Smart Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes announced the development on his Twitter account.

“Belga: the ultimate professional. Tough to tell him. But in the end he understood what’s best for the team. Dakila ka @bigboybelga30,” Reyes tweeted.

Belga immediatley tweeted back, thanking Reyes for his trust.

The 12 who will don the country’s colors are  Marcus Douthit, Junmar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pingris, Ranidel de Ocampo, Gabe Norwood, Jeff Chan, Gary David, Larry Fonacier, Jayson Castro, LA Tenorio and Jimmy Alapag.