Barangay Ginebra rising star Jeremiah Gray just before he entered Gilas’ five-day camp in Calamba, Laguna. Photo from Inspire Sports Academy
MANILA, Philippines-Gilas Pilipinas could suffer one more player withdrawal just before it leaves for the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
National coach Chot Reyes on Saturday revealed that Ginebra rising star Jeremiah Gray is questionable for the Phnom Penh campaign.
“I think there’s a problem with Jeremiah. He’s not a hundred percent. He’s feeling something in his leg. I think he’s going to beg off tonight,” he told reporters shortly after Gilas’ last practice at Meralco Gym in Pasig City.
Gray was a part of the 28-man pool submitted to the SEA Games organizing committee and was a part of the five-day camp at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba Laguna.
His absence could mean one less athletic wing player for the Philippines but that should be a gap easily smoothened by the likes of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser Calvin Oftana, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, and of course the tireless and all-around ace in Justin Brownlee.
If Gray decides to sit this mission out, the Gilas brain trust will have to make just two cuts to its pool on Sunday just before the managers’ meeting.
A number of standouts who are far from optimal shape have been ruled out by the Gilas coaching staff, namely Stanley Pringle, Poy Erram, Japeth Aguilar and June Mar Fajardo.
Others, meanwhile, begged off due to personal reasons like Jamie Malonzo and Mikey Williams to name some.
Aguilar and Fajardo, however, are being preserved for the World Cup set here in August.
Gilas is grouped with Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia in the biennial meet where it is looking to reinstate itself as a regional power.
The Filipinos play their first game against the Malaysians on May 9.