Bobby Parks and Kiefer Ravena. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks will have to wait for the conclusion of next month’s SEABA Championship before they can get their chance to play for the national team.
National coach Chot Reyes said Gilas Pilipinas has no available slots for Ravena and Parks, two of the biggest amateur stars in the country, “for now” with the team already in the middle of its SEABA buildup.
Ravena and Parks also skipped last year’s PBA Draft making them ineligible to suit up for Gilas.
“No, they have no chance for this time because we were very clear that for you to get to the program, you have to be in the PBA,” Reyes told reporters after wrapping up Gilas’ practice Tuesday night at Meralco Gym.
“They made their decision, unfortunately, we have to live with those decisions. There is an agreement between the SBP and the PBA that precisely stipulates that the guys have to be in the PBA.”
Reyes stressed the two don’t have any chance of making it to Gilas’ SEABA roster and said their status of being part of the team in the future is still uncertain.
“Right now, unfortunately, there is no opportunity for them. In the future, later this year, we don’t know. But for certain, in the SEABA, there is no chance,” said Reyes.
“Everything after SEABA, we leave it for after SEABA because for now, our focus is winning the SEABA. Otherwise, there is no use planning for anything else if we don’t win that. For now, all our focus is really on the SEABA.”
The SEABA tilt is slated on May 12-18 and will be staged here in Manila.
Parks and Ravena teamed up with Alab Pilipinas in the Asean Basketball League where the Philippine team was swept in the semifinals by the Singapore Slingers.
The 24-year-old Parks was part of the Gilas squad, which competed in the Fiba Olympic qualifying tournament last year.