FILE – Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes during the announcement of the latest Gilas Pilipinas pool members Sunday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City. PBA IMAGES
Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes is excited to bring his new-look national team to the three-leg 2017 PBA All-Star Week, which would serve as the team’s first workout for the 2017 Seaba Championships slated on May.
“I’m looking forward to it because that’s basically our only tune-up as a team before SEABA,” he said.
Facing the best of the league in the nationwide midseason festivities, Reyes acknowledged that it’s a tall task for his youthful crew to beat the famed PBA side. But he’d rather have this baptism of fire rather than go to the regional tiff without any workouts.
“We’re not going to be able to have any chance, and even then it’s not going to be perfect because we’re not going to have the complete, full 12-man team playing together. But that’s better than nothing. We’re not going to have a chance to practice or play anymore until SEABA, so I thought it was good to take advantage of that opportunity. I thank the PBA for affording us the chance,” he said.
The Gilas squad faces the Mindanao All-Stars in Cagayan de Oro on April 26, followed by a duel against the Luzon All-Stars in Lucena on April 28, before finishing the leg against the Visayas All-Stars in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on April 30.
The national team, though, won’t go to the All-Star Week without any preparations with the daily practices set starting on April 10.
“But those who have games in the PBA are going to be excused the day before and the gameday itself. That’s why it’s important to still have the pool rather than a 15-man lineup,” he said. “I thought it was better just to keep the entire pool intact, continuing to practice so that even when there are players that need to rest, we can still have a full practice.”
Meanwhile, Reyes is in no rush to name his 15-man roster for the Seaba Championships, saying,
“We’ll just make an announcement when the need is already there.”
“Basically, the deadline is for SEABA. But for now, we’re not troubling ourselves with 15 or 12 names or whatever. I think the best situation is still to continue have the whole pool practicing.”