Baldwin welcomes Pingris back to Gilas

Marc Pingris rejoins Gilas Pilipinas. FILE PHOTO

“HE’S very welcome to join us.”

That was the reaction of Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin after word of Marc Pingris’ change of heart to join the pool reached the national team in Estonia, where it is playing in a pocket tournament among four nations starting 10:30 p.m. (Manila time) yesterday.

Team manager Butch Antonio, in an overseas phone interview with the Inquirer, quoted Baldwin’s happy response to the news of Pingris’ turnaround on Wednesday, saying the team’s schedule after the Estonia trip will now have to be redone to accommodate the old pillar of the Gilas squad that played in the World Cup in Spain last year.

“We will work on a schedule on how to bring Ping up to speed,” Antonio said. “He needs to be able to catch up on coach Tab’s system.”

Pingris, a 6-foot-4 forward known for his tenacious rebounding and defense, reconsidered four days after informing Baldwin during a Gilas practice that he was begging off from the national pool to concentrate on the preparation of his mother team, Star, for the new PBA season starting on Oct. 18.

“I love Gilas, but there are things that I cannot control,” Pingris said then.

The Gilas training pool was formed on Aug. 3 and has been practicing ever since, even doing two-a-day practices. The Fiba Asia Olympic qualifier is slated near the end of next month in Changsha City in China’s Hunan province.

After playing matches against the Netherlands, Iceland and Estonia, the Nationals will fly back to Manila on Aug. 24. They will leave a few days later for Taipei to participate in the Jones Cup.

Meanwhile, the Filipinos will miss veteran Ranidel de Ocampo and two wingmen when they collide with the Dutch.

De Ocampo is hurting from a hamstring pull while Dondon Hontiveros will miss the game because of a calf injury. JC Intal, the surprise inclusion in the pool, has back spasms.

Without Pingris and De Ocampo, the Filipinos will be wanting in the small forward spot which the two occupied with great effect in the previous Fiba Asia and the World Cup.

Calvin Abueva and the 6-foot-7 Troy Rosario, the only amateur in the 16-man pool, are expected to get more playing time with the Gilas frontline alarmingly depleted.

Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss and naturalized player Andray Blatche are expected to alternate at the center and big forward spots.