TEAM Pilipinas expects Andray Blatche to be in shape when he arrives in the country on Friday to rejoin the national team for the crucial final window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
The 32-year-old Blatche is set to plane in at around 5 p.m. from China as he gets to don a Philippine jersey again following the suspension meted on him by FIBA for his role in the July brawl between Gilas Pilipinas and Australia.
This will be the first time the former NBA player though, will personally meet and play for coach Yeng Guiao after previously being handled by Chot Reyes starting the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, and later Tab Baldwin.
Coming fresh from his stint with mother ballclub Tianjin Gold Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Guiao doesn’t see any problem concerning Blatche’s fitness, which had been the issue in the past whenever he’s called in for national duty.
“He’s playing in China naman, so malamang fit naman siya,” said Guiao.
The 6-foot-11 New York native, however, won’t start training with Team Pilipinas until Monday when it resumes its practice at the Meralco gym.
From twice-a-week, Guiao disclosed about planning to alter the team’s training schedule.
“We’ll try to do three times a week kasi andito na si Blatche,” he said as the nationals gear up for their last two crucial matches away from home against Qatar and Kazakhstan on Feb. 21 and 24, respectively.
Even with Blatche’s arrival, the team will have to cram on its buildup as the naturalized player also needs to return to China by Feb. 11 and won’t meet the rest of the squad until they get together again in Qatar on Feb. 16.
“We’re really pressed for time and we’re pressed for opportunities,” said Guiao, who lamented the absence of tune-up games for his team save for a scheduled one against Alab Pilipinas.
“Ang medyo apprehension ko lang is we might not get enough tune-up games as we want,” he stressed. “Pero kahit anong gawin naman natin, magkukulang talaga sa oras.”
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