Chot Reyes, the new national team coach, yesterday came up with a 16-man pool of pros that boasts of experience, speed and offensive sock which the Philippines would need to make it to the 2014 World Basketball Championships in Spain.
“We are committed to bring the best team possible (to the world championship),” Reyes told reporters yesterday, minutes after presenting his “wish list” to the Philippine Basketball Association’s board of governors, who even gave him the leeway to name four more.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” Reyes said of the additional four players. “I am very happy and thankful to the board for approving my wish list. This is a big opportunity for us (Philippine team).”
Former MVPs James Yap of B-Meg and Jimmy Alapag and Kelly Williams of Talk ‘N Text banner the list, which has the firepower, but sadly, still lacks the height that could make the Philippines an international power again.
“Don’t forget that we also have (Marcus) Douthit who is not in the 16-man pool,” Reyes said, adding efforts are now being exerted to enlist the services of a second naturalized player in 7-foot
JaVale McGee of the Denver Nuggets.
Antipolo Rep. Robbie Puno, like he did for Douthit, is also sponsoring a bill in Congress that would make McGee a naturalized Filipino.
Reyes, who made the announcement together with PBA commissioner Chito Salud, received full backing from the board, whose only condition in loaning the players is for the PH team coaching staff not to pull out the players during the course of a PBA conference.
Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze, Ranidel de Ocampo, Ryan Reyes, Larry Fonacier and Jason Castro of Talk ‘N Text, Gary David and Marcio Lassiter of Powerade, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, Marc Pingris of B-Meg, Enrico Villanueva of Barangay Ginebra and Alaska’s LA Tenorio and Sonny Thoss round out the list.
Greg Slaughter, the 7-foot behemoth of Ateneo, and teammate Keifer Ravena will be included in a separate cadet’s program, to be known as Smart-Gilas II, which Reyes will also handle.
That program will train together with the team of pros, and Reyes said that having “one or two amateurs in the final lineup is a possibility.”
The cadet program will represent the Philippines in “lighter” tournaments like the Southeast Asian Games and the SEA Basketball Association tournament.