Watered-down Gilas for Asiad

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Andray Blatche will have another tour of duty for the Philippines, but the Gilas Pilipinas team that has made gains in the world rankings will just be a shell of that endearing five when it plays in the Asian Games in Indonesia in August.

With the PBA schedule and with the Philippines also set to participate in the third window of the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers in July, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas was left to tap Blatche, four TNT KaTropa mainstays and Alaska’s Calvin Abueva in a bid to reclaim the gold medal in the games.

At the same time, the Australian basketball body announced on Thursday that it will be tapping NBA standouts Thon Maker and Matthew Dellavidova of the Milwaukee Bucks for the Aussies’ Fiba Qualifying match with the Filipinos on July 2 in Manila.

The Aussies manhandled the Filipinos the last time they met, 84-68, in Melbourne.

Roger Pogoy, Terrence Romeo, Troy Rosario and Jayson Castro are the Texters who will suit up in Indonesia for a version of the Gilas team that will also be made up of members of its Cadets program.

“Everybody in the (PBA) board wants to participate in the Asian Games, but they also want to be competitive (in the pro league), and they also want to meet and find solutions to the challenges,” PBA chair Ricky Vargas said.

The Philippines had a similar setup in the 1994 edition of the Games in Hiroshima, when the core of the champion San Miguel team in the All-Filipino was reinforced by several pro standouts and amateurs Marlou Aquino and Kenneth Duremdes.

The Asiad is set Aug. 18 to Sept. 2.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will look into the rules governing the sale of dietary supplements containing substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Antipolo City Rep. Chiqui Roa-Puno has called for the congressional inquiry to prevent Filipino athletes from unintentionally consuming these products.

The investigation stemmed from the 18-month suspension slapped by world governing body Fiba on Gilas Pilipinas point guard Kiefer Ravena, who was found positive for WADA-prohibited substances after a random drug test facilitated by Fiba officials on Feb. 25.

In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, the Texters clash with vastly improved Columbian Friday at 4:30 p.m. for a share of the lead with idle Rain or Shine.

Barangay Ginebra welcomes back the enigmatic Justin Brownlee in the 7 p.m. game when the Gin Kings slug it out with Meralco.

Brownlee will replace the ineffective Charles Garcia.