Raymond Almazan grateful for ‘once in lifetime’ Fiba World Cup stint

MANILA, Philippines—Raymond Almazan was practically the last player chosen to complete Gilas Pilipinas’ final 12-man lineup for the Fiba World Cup.

A roster spot also opened up for Almazan after one of the team’s bigs Poy Erram went down with an ankle injury.

Free from any health issues this time, Almazan is just grateful for the chance to represent the country in the world stage.

“They really just gave me a chance. It’s a tough decision for the coaches so I’m thankful for the once in a lifetime opportunity,” Almazan said Wednesday after national team practice.

“I’ve been in and out of the team during the qualifiers because injuries but I’ve really prepared myself for the World Cup.”

Almazan wasn’t able to consistently play for Gilas largely due to injuries throughout the team’s campaign in the qualifiers but he made sure that he’d be physically and mentally ready for the World Cup.

“Raymond got injured and wasn’t able to play in the last window so we thought that this is a time for him to be able to experience and play for the World Cup,” Guiao said.