THE imbalance created at Gilas Pilipinas by recent PBA trades will have national coach Chot Reyes tapping possible replacements from ballclubs which now have no veteran representatives in the training pool.
NLEX and Meralco found themselves without a veteran player in the Gilas pool after Bradwyn Guinto and Jonathan Grey ended up at GlobalPort in a recent four-team trade that also involved TnT Katropa.
The movements left GlobalPort with three Gilas players in Guinto, Grey, and Terrence Romeo, not to mention Gilas cadet Von Pessumal, and both Meralco and NLEX with none.
Following a special board meeting on Monday at the PBA office that tackled matters pertaining to the national team’s campaign in three major international tournaments, it was agreed that Reyes will have to look for substitutes to cover up for the loss of both Guinto and Grey.
“Ang Meralco at NLEX naman nawalan ng veteran to the pool, hihingi si Chot sa amin,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio, who is also Meralco's representative to the league board. “Pipiliin niya yun.”
Added commissioner Chito Narvasa,”May replacement. Kay Chot yun.”
In the case of Globalport, Reyes has to make a choice who among Romeo, Guinto, and Grey will be retained at Gilas.
There was no doubt in the minds of both Narvasa and Panlilio the one who’ll stay.
“We’ll have to ask Chot sino sa tatlong yun ang pipiliin mo,” said Panlilio. “Kung tatanungin mo kami, siya coach, ako hindi coach, palagay ko kilala mo na kung sino ang kukunin niya..si Romeo. So babagsak diyan si Guinto at Grey.”
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