Lassiter, sapped by pneumonia, out of Gilas

Marcio Lassiter. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net

MARCIO Lassiter, arguably the PBA’s deadliest outside gun today, is officially out of the Gilas Pilipinas team that will try to take the country back to the Olympics.

Still 10 pounds over his ideal weight and terribly weakened by a bout with bronchopneumonia, the 6-foot-3 swingman’s handler informed the Gilas coaching staff recently that he would not be fit enough to join the team in its ongoing training camp in Europe.

The national team coaching staff had given Lassiter a June 15 deadline to join the team in Greece for their back-breaking training, but agent Marvin Espiritu said there was no way Lassiter would be fit enough to even travel that far.

“It’s a pity, because Marcio really wanted to play for the Philippines again,” Espiritu told the Inquirer over the phone Monday. “He’s just too weak.”

Fourth national pool dropout

Lassiter was the fourth player to beg off from the national pool because of illness or injury, joining Greg Slaughter, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and point guard Paul Lee.

The meat of Gilas’ preparations is in the camp in Greece, and Lassiter, had he flown out Tuesday for the mountains of Karpenisi, could join the Nationals for the second half of training.

Gilas is scheduled to play four tuneup games after the Greece camp—a formidable task for one who has had no practice for close to three weeks.

The Nationals will play Turkey in Istanbul and then fly to Bologna, Italy, to see action in a pocket tournament that also includes the national teams of Canada, China and Italy.

The Nationals are due to be back on June 28 and will then play Turkey again, at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, on July 1.

The Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, which will stake just one berth to the main tournament of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, will start on July 5.