Boost to Philippine basketball
Looks like it has been a busy second quarter for Philippine basketball and signs are very encouraging. From the country’s elite men’s team, Gilas Pilipinas, our lady players down to our youth squad, the cage program has received tremendous boost.
Blackwater import Greg Smith, who attended Gilas Pilipinas training previously, has already reached an agreement with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and agreed to play with the national team’s long- term program until 2023.
Smith, a former Houston Rockets stalwart, has even contemplated of staying here for good if ever the naturalization process will be finalized.
Now the next step is the legislative process, the same procedure his predecessors went through.
Marcus Douthit was naturalized in 2010 and represented the country in major events, including the 2011 and 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, the 2014 Asian Games and the 2015 Southeast Asian Games.
Because of Douthit, the Philippines made its way back to the basketball world stage before Andray Blatche came to the picture and took over reinforcing Gilas Pilipinas in the 2014 World Cup.
But Gilas Pilipinas has had a difficult time getting Blatche on board.
Blatche informed Gilas management and coaching staff that he’ll be arriving Friday (May 5) and likely to join Sunday’s training.
Perlas Pilipinas has secured a deal with Kelly Hardeman, a Fil- American who grew up here before she left for the United States to pursue her studies. She’s currently playing professional basketball in Denmark, but her mother, who’s getting in touch with Dioceldo Sy, head of the team’s chief backer Blackwater, sees no problem on the player committing to play for the national team as it has no confl ict with her contractual obligations overseas.
If ever, the naturalization process will be completed, this will be the first time the women’s basketball team will have a naturalized player. Perlas Pilipinas won the SEABA Women’s Championship last year in Malaysia and will also compete in the Level 1 competitions of the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship in Bangalore, India this July.
Then, there’s our Philippine youth team competing in the SEABA Under-16 championship, which will parade its tallest lineup in years.
With 6- foot-11, 14-year- old center Kai Sotto and 6- foot- 5 forward Bismark Lina leading up front, Batang Gilas give the usually guard-oriented squad of coach Mike Oliver a different look.
Aside from the two players, other frontliners of the squad include Geo Chiu (6-8), Raven Cortez (6-7), Josh Lazaro and Miguel Tan (6-3).
Batang Gilas will vie for a spot in the FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship.