Photo by PBA/Nuki Sabio
MANILA—The plan to send an all-collegiate team to the Southeast Asian Games may take a back seat as national coach Norman Black, refusing to take any chances, named naturalized Smart Gilas player Marcus Douthit as part of the initial list of players who will compete in the basketball event.
The biennial meet will take place in Indonesia in November.
Black told the Inquirer that Douthit’s inclusion in the team will serve two purposes. It virtually assures the country of a gold medal in a tournament it has dominated anyway and it will keep the naturalized Douthit in game shape for future tournaments.
Black said they submitted a list of 12 players because the Philippine Olympic Committee “insisted that I hand in twelve names but its not final yet and I think there are going to be some changes in that team.”
Aside from Douthit, the SEA Games five will include Douthit, Ateneo stars Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena, Nico Salva and Eman Montfort; Jake and Ronald Pascual; Garvo Lanete; Cliff Hodge, Chris Ellis, RR Garcia and Ray Parks, son of PBA seven-time “Best Import” Bobby Parks.
“Right now we have size [and] we definitely have athletic ability,” Black told the Inquirer. “[We] are very, very talented at the wing position with Parks (National University) and Ronald Pascual from San Sebastian.”
The multi-titled PBA and UAAP coach said the team lacks a legitimate point guard and will be taking along hard look at UST star Jeric Fortuna.
The twelve players named, though, aren’t set in stone and Black said there could be changes made anytime. Black submitted the roster to accommodate a deadline set by the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Black said his initial 12 were picked “based on the guys who have been coming consistently to the practice since February. They are being rewarded for their consistency.”
Among those also in the pool of players Black can pick from include San Sebastian beanpole Ian Sanggalang, Smart Gilas gunner Chris Tiu and UST wingman Jeric Teng.
Also in the pool is walk-in Fil-Am Keith Jensen from New York University, who impressed the national team coaching staff during a recent workout.
“He’s good, but the thing is I put him in the pool too in fairness to the other guys,” said Black. “But I’ll keep him in the pool and like I told the other players there’s a possibility there will be changes as we continue to practice.