Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
In the end, coach Chot Reyes picked Jio Jalalon as the Star representative for Gilas Pilipinas.
The outspoken mentor decided to pick Jalalon over Allein Maliksi for the 2017 Fiba Asia Cup roster but was asked to leave the lanky shooter out of the Southeast Asian Games rosters.
This despite the PBA’s Board of Governors agreeing to lend veteran players to the national team.
“We had to make a decision,” said Reyes after the team’s Thursday evening practice at Upper Deck Gym in Pasig.
“We wanted to put (Maliksi) in the Sea Games lineup, but we were asked not to put him in there first,” he added, without going into details on who he was pertaining to.
Without Maliksi in the roster, most of Gilas’ outside shooting will now be vested on guards Jayson Castro and Terrence Romeo, as well as gunners Matthew Wright and Roger Pogoy.
The return of Gabe Norwood, meanwhile, helped Reyes seal the decision to pick the young guard for the continental meet.
“For Fiba Asia, we had to make a decision between him and Jio. And we felt we needed Jio more especially since we’re getting Gabe Norwood in anyway.”
Gilas Pilipinas will play in the 2017 Fiba Asia Cup in Beirut, Lebanon from August 8 to 20, while the 2017 Sea Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from August 19 to 30.
With Maliksi out of the question, the former UST gunner will be focused on the Hotshots’ campaign in the ongoing 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup, with the team set to play three games for the duration of the tournaments.
Star will play San Miguel on August 4, Phoenix on August 23, and Rain or Shine on August 27.