JASON Perkins and Jordan Heading both begged off from joining the Gilas Pilipinas training pool for the 20th Asian Games.
Health reasons and an urgent family matter forced both Fil-foreign players to skip training with the national team that is set to defend the men’s basketball gold medal in Nagoya, Japan next month.
The 33-yer-old Perkins is nursing an injury and will take the long break in the PBA Governors’ Cup to rest and recover, while the 30-year-old Heading is set to welcome a new member in the family in the coming weeks.
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The Phoenix big man and TNT shooting guard were among the 16 players coach Tim Cone named to the all-PBA Gilas pool to the quadrennial showcase.
TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa said the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) sought the services of Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser for the Asiad, but the 6-foot-2 Fil-Australian politely begged off.
“Jordan begged off because his wife is due in two weeks,” said Lastimosa, one of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players of all time. “Only BGR (Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser) said yes."
Paolo Bugia, team manager of Phoenix, meanwhile confirmed Perkins is bothered by a foot injury.
“He’s been nursing a foot injury in our last two games. It limited his movement and affected his minutes,” Bugia said in a text message to SPIN.ph.
“I think it was noticeable and apparent in our last two games,” he added of Perkins’ performances in the Fuel Masters’ back-to-back losses to Magnolia (115-101) and Blackwater (106-100).
This marks the second time the 6-foot-4 former De La Salle standout will miss a shot at suiting up for the national team in the Asiad.
Back in 2023, Perkins was among the four players named to the Gilas pool to the Hangzhou Asiad along with Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, and Mo Tautuaa to help reinforce the core of the national team that competed in the FIBA World Cup.
Unfortunately, the four of them weren’t allowed by the Asiad organizers to play since they were not part on the original 37-man list the SBP earlier submitted.
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Now injury is hampering Perkins’ bid to wear the country tri-colors again after winning the maiden 3x3 men’s basketball gold in the Southeast Asian Games in Manila in 2019. He was part of the Gilas quartet that also include Tautuaa, Chris Newsome, and CJ Perez.
“He was advised by management to use the break to rest and recover,” said Bugia of Phoenix’s long-serving mainstay.
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