After a careful planning and decision-making, the Gilas national team has finalized its 12-man lineup that will participate in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at Mall of Asia Arena on July 5-10.
Under head coach Tab Baldwin's scrutiny, the team will parade a personnel consisting of TNT’s Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Troy Rosario, and Ryan Reyes; ROS’s Gabe Norwood and Jeff Chan; SMB’s June Mar Fajardo; Star’s Marc Pingris; Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar; and Globalport’s Terrence Romeo. They are also accompanied by naturalized player Andray Blatche and Fil-Am guard/forward Bobby Ray Parks Jr.
The most veteran of them, Gabe Norwood, already served duty in three of the next four FIBA Asia meets and in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, making himself useful with his defense and athleticism.
De Ocampo is the player with the second most extensive service lent to the national team, starting a long stint with Gilas in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. He’s been a Gilas regular up to present. He is a versatile power forward who can drive, post, or stretch the floor with his three-point shooting.
Aguilar made his debut in the national team in the 2009 Tianjian Asian tourney under coach Yeng Guiao. But he’s been in and out, making strides in the 2014 World Cup then begging off for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha.
Pingris, Chan, Castro and Fajardo all came on board in the 2013 Asian meet in Manila. All four stayed with Gilas in the 2014 World Cup then Chan and Fajardo left.
Romeo came as one of the replacements for the Gilas veterans in 2015, and he made heads turn in his first exposure in the international stage – the Jones Cup in Taipei.
Reyes now takes his turn to make his Gilas debut. At 32, he finally made the national team after being cut on account of an injury in 2009.
To the surprise of many, Ginebra's LA Tenorio and Alaska's Calvin Abueva missed the final cut.
Baldwin admitted that this was a hard decision for him in what he described was a choice that caused him a lot of 'sleepless nights.'
Former national coach and now media executive Chot Reyes was also caught off-guard with the decision but he understands why Baldwin came with the verdict that could be summed in one word -- height.
Justifying Baldwin's call to cut Abueva and include his fellow wing player Troy Rosario, Reyes mentioned the size factor which matters a lot in this kind of competition. The inclusion of 6'7" rookie Rosario is also a result of him playing well as of late.
"Because Troy has been playing really well. There were stretches last night and I think even the coaches would agree, Troy was the best player. Malaking bagay yung his ability to shoot, his size and his mobility. Those are very important," Chot Reyes said.
Reyes further added, "The key with Troy Rosario is they’re going to play him in the wing spot, the three spot. That gives us a legitimate international-caliber in that spot. That’s very good."
As with the guards, Reyes also concluded that the size was the reason Tenorio was cut.
"I think they decided as a third point guard they’re going to go big. After Jayson (Castro) and Terrence (Romeo), it’s going to be Ryan Reyes or Gabe Norwood. Again, size is important."
Source: PBA Interaksyon
Image: Sports 5
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