IF Chot Reyes would have his way, he wants every player in the Gilas Pilipinas training pool to be accounted for by July 25.
The timeline at least would have the team practicing and training as a whole before it embarks for Guandong, China for the three-country, mini-pocket tournament by August 2.
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"I'm thinking July 25. For anyone to be able to play in China, they have to come to practice at the very least on July 25. And that's cutting it really thinly," said Reyes.
From a pool of 21, the Gilas training camp is now down to 19 players after Carl Tamayo backed out and Jordan Heading was unavailable due to back problems.
Only young big man Kai Sotto and naturalized player Jordan Clarkson haven't showed up in practice yet one month since training camp began, including a three-week sojourn in Europe.
So far, 17 players have religiously been attending practices at the Meralco and Moro Lorenzo gym since training resumed last week.
The players showing up include six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo, Rhenz Abando, Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Thirdy Ravena, AJ Edu, Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Ray Parks, Chris Newsome, Poy Erram, naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, and Scottie Thompson even though he's still nursing a metacarpal fracture in his right hand.
The team leaves for China on August 1.
"That means we have one-week practice lang before China," said Reyes
Nonetheless, Reyes said everything is open to a compromise.
"Mako-compromise talaga," he said. "But again, we understand the situation of the others. We're willing to bend backwards naman for them."
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