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Gilas Pilipinas project director coach Tab Baldwin has hinted at a mix of PBA players and prominent referees as a possible roster for the national team at Window 3 of the FIBA Asia Cup in February next year in Clark, Pampanga.
Baldwin mentioned Thursday afternoon in an online press conference that formally launched the partnership of FIBA and Smart Communications for the 2023 World Cup, that the country is a co-sponsor of Japan and Indonesia.
According to Baldwin, several PBA players will be invited to training camp starting in January, giving the national team a month to prepare for the February 18-21 tournament, where the national team faces Indonesia and plays. against South Korea twice.
“We should be able to access some PBA players,” Baldwin said, referring to the availability of professional players as the PBA, led by Commissioner Willie Marcial and TNT Tropang Giga Chairman of the Board Ricky Vargas, is in a break to give way to qualifiers.
“What would be the combination of that really depends on the players. We want to be in camp, we want all of our players to come into camp and we want to see them train against each other. “
Read: Professional players to reinforce Gilas in the February qualifiers
“The ultimate goal for us is to create a talented team, not a talent team, so it is up to the players to find their place within this talented team.
During Window 1 of the playoffs last February in Jakarta, a mix of professional and amateur players made up Gilas’s team that defeated Indonesia, 100-70.
However, in Window 2 last November in a bubble tournament in Bahrain, the country sent out an all-amateur national team because the professional players either got a break or were still playing in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Even in that situation, Gilas proved to be too much as the Filipinos won two games against Thailand, 93-61 and 93-69.
The pair of victories improved Gilas’ record to 3-0 in Group C, ahead of Korea, 2-0, Indonesia 1-2 and Thailand 0-4. Baldwin said the experience was a great boost for amateur players.
“We have been working on these little paths to develop our youngest players to become quality international players in the hope that many of them, some of them, will become part of our 2023 roster, and indeed we hope the list is dominated at that point, ”said Baldwin.
“But there will always be space and a need for experience in our team if we hope to compete at the elite level.”
Veteran coach Jong Uichico, who mentored Gilas in both victories against Thailand, said starting the first weeks of January would be crucial in preparing the team for the third and final qualifying window.
“We’ll start early for Window 3 first,” Uichico said. “We will arrive at the beginning of January so that we can meet for a long period of time that allows the system to mature … the players mature and get everything on track.”
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is expected to publish a list of players who will be invited to the training camp, which may include PBA players Kiefer Ravena from NLEX, Poy Erram, Troy Rosario and RR Pogoy from TNT, as well as CJ Perez from Terra Firma.
As for the outstanding referees, it is likely that the 16 players in the training group last November are included as the Nieto brothers Matt and Mike, the Gómez de Liaño brothers Juan and Javi, Fil-Am Dwight Ramos, Kobe Paras and Santi Santillán.
Also in the mix is NBA D-League player Kai Sotto, who made himself available to Gilas, though Baldwin said he’s dependent on the 7-foot-2 baller’s handlers and trainers and the SBP currently in talks for a possible season. in February. .
Meanwhile, the SBP, led by President Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan and President Al Panlilio, formally announced Smart’s relationship with FIBA, making the leading telecommunications company the official sponsor of the World Cup in 2023. .
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis also attended the online press.
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