Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
In dire need of a shooter, Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes may finally get the snipers he badly craves for after PBA commissioner Willie Marcial lifted the player limit for all teams.
And with that development, one name comes to mind: Marcio Lassiter.
Undoubtedly one if not the best shooter in the country right now, Lassiter is closing in on a possible return stint with the national team as his potential inclusion is guaranteed to be a huge shot in the arm when it comes to artillery from beyond the arc.
For now, Lassiter is just leaving everything to Reyes.
“I hope so, but it all depends on coach Chot. We’ll see what happens. When it comes, it comes,” he said.
Lassiter last played for Gilas in the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship in Wuhan, where the Philippines finished fourth.
He begged off from national team duty back in 2016 due to pneumonia, leaving him out of the squad which competed in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Now, however, is a different story as Lassiter is in the best shape of his life and is ready to answer whenever an opportunity knocks.
“I just got to keep preparing myself and stay healthy. I’m just trying to stay healthy and that’s the most important thing,” he said as he has his sights set on helping San Miguel win its fourth straight Philippine Cup.
Currently, Gilas only has two legitimate knock-down shooters in Matthew Wright and Roger Pogoy with Terrence Romeo still out of commission due to a knee injury. Kevin Ferrer could also be in the conversation, but the sophomore has yet to be called up for the 2019 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.
This dearth in gunslingers could be considered the lowest in years, dating back to the days when Jimmy Alapag, Jeff Chan, Dondon Hontiveros, Larry Fonacier, and Gary David were donning the national tri-colors.
Lassiter’s addition to the pool would definitely change that notion as the Beermen marksman expressed glee with the recent development between the PBA and Gilas Pilipinas.
“That’s just great,” he said. “It’s a great thing to have more players coming in so at the end of the day, we should be able to find a good team for these upcoming events.”