Blatche to play for Gilas in SEABA tilt, says team manager

Gilas Pilipinas vs New Zealand in a Fiba OQT match at Mall of Asia Arena. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio said naturalized Filipino Andray Blatche will suit up for the national team in the 2017 SEABA Championship slated next month. 

Antonio, who also serves as Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas deputy executive director for international affairs, said Gilas and Blatche’s camp have already “come to terms” to lock up the services of the former NBA veteran.

“Like I said before, we are working with the group of Andray and we have come to terms. “We’re just finalizing the date when he’ll arrive,” Antonio told reporters after the national team pool practice Monday night at Meralco Gym.

Antonio expects Blatche to be in Manila by late April, giving the 6-foot-10 big man some time to rest after leading the Xinjian Flying Tigers to their first Chinese Basketball Association championship recently.

“As you all know, he just won a championship in the CBA. We’ll let him just rest a bit and then just determine when he will arrive. But definitely, he will play for us.”

The 30-year-old Blatche is also expected to report for duty in “terrific shape” with the CBA season just finished.

Blatche last played for Gilas during the Fiba Olympic qualifier in July 2016.