PBA commissioner Willie Marcial gave an assurance despite some uncertainty hovering around the Philippine men’s basketball team that will represent the country in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Coming off a 2023 Fiba World Cup campaign where it finished with a 1-4 record, Gilas Pilipinas faces a dilemma after the decision of national coach Chot Reyes to step aside from his post, while half of the team is unavailable owing to commitments with their mother clubs overseas.
But after an emergency meeting on Monday night among Samahang Basketbol Pilipinas and PBA officials, Marcial is confident that they can still form a solid team even with the continental showpiece less than three weeks away and opening on September 23.
“Sa akin naman, kahit sinong coach ipadala natin, kahit sinong mga players ipadala natin, laban ‘to. Laban ‘to, itong team na ‘to,” Marcial said when he graced Tuesday’s SPIN POV episode.
After laying the foundation for the Asian Games team in the meeting, Marcial said the SBP and PBA will make the announcement on the team’s composition, including the coach, on Thursday.
“May tinitingnan na (na coach), kaya nga kakausapin pa,” Marcial said. “Kaya by Thursday, plantsado na kung sino mag-cocoach, kung papaano sistema, kung sino hahawak ng team.”
The amiable PBA commissioner said the ideal arrangement would be having core of the World Cup team sprinkled with PBA players and college standouts.
“Yun ang magandang paraan para mapalaban tayo sa Asian Games. Pero yun nga, ang daming mga situation na hindi natin kontrolado. Kaya dahan-dahan, tumutulong na ang PBA. Depende rin sa coach na hahawak kung sinong gusto niyang players – at sana kondisyon yung players.”
Marcial insisted there is still continuity from the World Cup team despite Reyes’ decision to step aside.
“Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, nakapag-prepara naman si coach Chot dyan, kung papaano, kung sino kukunin niya…Kasi nga may nasa isip na siya kung sinong mga players.”
“Pero yun nga din, dapat nasabihan din agad ang PBA para nakapag-kondisyon yung mga players na gusto niya,” he was quick to add.
“Hindi naman exactly from step one tayo. Depende sa coach,” he continued.
READ: Brownlee, Kouame lead Gilas lineup submitted to Asiad organizers last July
Justin Brownlee is expected to lead Gilas, while fellow naturalized player Ange Kouame, and seven players on the World Cup team are part of the initial list that the Philippine Olympic Committee submitted to Asian Games officials last July 25.
Whoever are in the lineup, Marcial believes Gilas can get past group stage. The Filipino dribblers are in Group C with Jordan, Bahrain, and Thailand, having Bahrain as their first assignment on September 26.
“Hindi ko alam kung enough kasi two weeks na lang. tapos hindi katulad ng buong Gilas na may chemistry na, so sana, pero palagay ko naman makaka-abante tayo sa second stage,” Marcial said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
