Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine men’s national basketball team head coach Chot Reyes made the inclusion of Paul Lee and naturalized center Andray Blatche on the Gilas Pilipinas’ Fiba World Cup roster official on Monday.
The 25-year-old Lee made a strong case for a spot in the World Cup lineup after leading the Philippines to a bronze medal finish in the Fiba Asia Cup in his first ever international stint last month in China where he capped his stellar showing by beating the hosts with three pressure-packed free throws with no time left in the battle for third place.
Lee, a late addition to the pool, will fill the hole left by the sharp-shooting swingman Larry Fonacier, who backed out at the last-minute just before Gilas took its buildup for the World Championship abroad citing various injuries.
“We are tapping Paul Lee to take Larry Fonacier’s spot and Andray Blatche as our naturalized player for the World Cup. God bless us all. #PUSO,” Reyes posted on his Twitter account.
The Philippines, which went 0-3 in a four-team pocket tournament held in Antibes, France with losses to the hosts, Australia and Ukraine, opens its World Cup campaign in Spain against Croatia before taking on Greece, Argentina and Puerto Rico.
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