WITH the rash of withdrawal of talents from the Gilas Pilipinas pool, national coach Tab Baldwin will likely include Alaska’s Calvin Abueva and JVee Casio among the national team prospects he will name tomorrow.
Reportedly down to 16 men from his original list of 26, Baldwin may just tap the tenacious Abueva and the heady Casio as last-minute additions as he crams to come up with a competitive national five that will shoot for an Olympic berth next month.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and Baldwin are supposed to make the announcement of the members of the pool tomorrow before starting formal preparations for the Fiba-Asia Championship set in Changsha, China.
Two-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer, Marc Pingris of Star, Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra are reportedly set to beg off from national duty citing different reasons, leaving a huge vacuum in the middle that Baldwin will try to plug.
According to highly placed sources, Baldwin had dilly-dallied in including the 6-foot-2 Abueva in the original list because of the abundance of players who are bigger than the Alaska power forward.
The recent development, though, according to the source, has reinforced Baldwin’s original plan of enlisting the former NCAA MVP and PBA Rookie of the Year.
Casio, meanwhile, could become a candidate after Paul Lee of Rain or Shine also begged off from inclusion to be with his ailing mother in the United States.
The 5-foot-8 Casio was a member of the first Gilas Pilipinas squad assembled by Serbian Rajko Toroman and the Alaska gunner is a very experienced internationalist.
Sonny Thoss and Dondon Hontiveros of Alaska are reportedly in the early list of Gilas pool prospects.
With Lee out, the same source said that Star’s Marc Barroca, who shared the backcourt with Casio in the first Gilas team, might also be considered.
Baldwin, though, faces a problem in asking for more players since the deadline given by the PBA for him to name the candidates elapsed last Wednesday.
There are already several surprised choices by Baldwin in the pool, like Aldrech Ramos of NLEX and Barako Bull’s JC Intal.
Asi Taulava, because of the absence of Fajardo, could be donning the national colors again at 42 years old.