THE uncertainty surrounding Gilas Pilipinas’ plans for the 19th Asian Games in the aftermath of its FIBA World Cup campaign led to CJ Perez missing a spot in the team bound for the Hangzhou, China.
With the men’s national team left in shambles following the resignation of head coach Chot Reyes, the high-scoring guard thought he’ll no longer be called for another tour of duty with Gilas, according to Cone.
As it turned out, he quickly packed his bags, brought along his family, and took a well-deserved vacation overseas.
READ: CJ Perez family trip to New Zealand cancelled as he answers Gilas call
It was too late in the day when San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the mother team of Perez, finally decided to take charge in the formation and preparation of the new-look Gilas side for the Asiad.
Reyes stepped down from his post Saturday after Gilas won its final group phase assignment against China, 96-75. There was no clear path for the national team until late Monday night when SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua met with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al S. Panlilio, PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas, and Commissioner Willie Marcial at the Diamond Residences to talk about the next course of action for Gilas in light of Reyes' resignation.
It was during the meeting that a consensus was made for Cone to take over the Gilas program, albeit on an interim basis.
“We didn’t have a lot of direction when the World Cup ended. So immediately after the World Cup, there was no sense of, ‘We’re going to be back,’ ‘We’re going to be doing this.’ So he (Perez) ended up going overseas,” said coach Tim Cone on Wednesday.
Unlike June Mar Fajardo who was only in Cebu and Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, who haven’t left the country yet for a vacation when the call from SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua came, it was too late in the day for Perez to come back home.
“We really wanted him on the team, but by the time he was located and told to come to practice, he was already overseas. And it was gonna be… he had his family there,” said Cone.
By the estimate of the veteran coach, Perez could only return in the country by Sept. 18 or 19, or fours day before Gilas depart for China.
“He’s gonna miss too much practice time,” according to Cone. “So we just made the decision to move on from him. He moved on, we moved on. But yes, we’re gonna miss him because he’s capable, and I think he would have killed in our system the way we play. So I think he would have been really good.”
But Cone was sure that had he known in advance, Perez would have dropped his bags and answered the call of national duty.
“He still wants to play,” said Cone. “But he’s coming back too late.”
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