Gilas resumes training
Tab Baldwin gets the team back together.
JASON Credo and Ladis Lepalam are among the new faces in Gilas practice.
Gilas Pilipinas resumed practice, with naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame from Ivory Coast leading the 16-man pool at Moro Lorenzo Sports Center in Katipunan last week.
Special Gilas draftees led by Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, Mike Nieto, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, and Tzaddy Rangel were all present in the sessions supervised by head coach Tab Baldwin.
Matt Nieto is also back from a broken hand injury and Allyn Bulanadi from a dislocated shoulder. Also called back were Justine Baltazar, SJ Belangel, Carl Tamayo, Dave Ildefonso and Geo Chiu.
Gilas is not playing in the first window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers and is preparing for the February window where the Philippines will play its fellow Group A teams Korea twice, as well as New Zealand and India inside the Clark bubble.
Also part of the grueling schedule for Team Philippines are the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam set in May, the 2022 Fiba Asia Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia scheduled in July, and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Beau Belga inks new two-year deal with Rain or Shine
Rain or Shine keeps veteran Beau Belga.
BEAU Belga has also been given a contract extension by Rain or Shine.
The 34-year-old Belga gets a new two-year deal after the Elasto Painters re-signed Rey Nambatac, Norbert Torres and Anton Asistio.
Nambatac got a new three-year deal, while Torres and Assistio signed two-year contracts.
The 6-foot-5 Bega will be playing in his 11th season with Rain or Shine, which acquired him in a three-team trade a decade ago involving Meralco and Air21.
EJ Obiena has 'multiple' options
Several countries want world No. 6 EJ Obiena.
EJ Obiena has been offered citizenship by several countries but chose to compete as a Filipino.
"Now, if something doesn't happen soon, in my opinion, he will never vault again for the Philippines," Obiena's longtime adviser James Lafferty said.
Laffety shared to One News that there are countries eager to see what happens with Obiena’s situation in the Philippines and would like to have him on their team.
"It's no secret that a number of countries are looking at this situation and laughing uncontrollably how the Philippines is driving away a world-class athlete that they can offer a passport to."
"Long before this happened, there was already a line of people at his door to offer him a passport. He is the hottest thing in track and field because he's gone from No. 30 to No. 10 to No. 8 to No. 5 and everyone's afraid," he said.
Lafferty noted Obiena does not want to leave. The 26-year-old Obiena earlier said retirement is an option.
"He has always asked me what do I think. I said, 'I will tell you right now, you want to vault for your home country.' And he said, 'I do.' He doesn't want to leave the Philippines, he doesn't want to do this. He wants to stay involved here," said the American businessman and conditioning coach.
"But how do you vault when your own federation is trying to kill you?"
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