DESPITE being replaced for the Asian Games, Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Jason Perkins, and Mo Tautuaa have stayed at the Inspire Sports Academy to continue participating in the Gilas Pilipinas training for the Asian Games.
Gilas Asiad roster update
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone said Chris Ross, Kevin Alas, Arvin Tolentino, and CJ Perez are already in Calamba, Laguna to join the training camp after being late replacements to Romeo, Abueva, Perkins, and Tautuaa.
Cone said they are still waiting for the official word that Romeo, Abueva, Perkins, and Tautuaa are officially out, and Ross, Alas, Tolentino, and Perez have been included of the Gilas 12 for the Asiad within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“From what I understand, we are still finding avenues to try to get them in. The word we’ve gotten just immediately is probably they won’t be available. But we are still looking for different avenues. They are still up at Inspire and practicing with us until we get that final, final word. We haven’t got that final, final word yet, in our minds anyway,” said Cone.
Initially, Abueva and Perkins were not part of the original 60-player list submitted to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. But apparently, a new list of 37 players was also passed to the organizers with the names of Romeo and Tautuaa also absent, forcing Cone to scamper for new players to include in the roster.
Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua said bringing Ross, Alas, Tolentino, and Perez is their "Plan B" should Romeo, Abueva, Perkins, and Tautuaa will formally be excluded from the Gilas roster.
“What we did was pinarating namin ‘yung apat (Ross, Alas, Tolentino, Perez). ‘Yung walong ‘yun, parehong hindi sure ‘yun kasi ‘yung apat (Romeo, Abueva, Perkins, Tautuaa, hindi sure kung papaalisin sila papuntang China or hindi sila kasama sa line-up. ‘Yung apat (Ross, Alas, Tolentino, Perez) naman ang susunod. ‘Yung sitwasyon naman nitong apat na dumating, pag pinayagan ng China ‘to, sila namang apat (Romeo, Abueva, Perkins, Tautuaa) na mawawala.”
“Kaya ‘yung sakrispisyo nung walong ‘yun, medyo malalim lalo na ‘yung apat na nauna kasi grabe na ‘yung ensayo,” said Chua.
Cone said they don't see any problem with Marcio Lassiter replacing Roger Pogoy since Lassiter is also in the 37-man line-up and Pogoy being ruled out due to a health issue.
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