Rivero gets green light for PH duty

All the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has to do, it seem, is say the word.

If in the near future SBP offers a spot for rising star Ricci Rivero to be part of the Gilas Pilipinas training pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup here, De La Salle will not stand in the way.

A source from DLSU said yesterday that the school is all out in its support to the national team and Rivero or any other player in green and white.

For now, however, the school’s request is for its players to focus on the team that is in transition after the exit of mentor Aldin Ayo and the eventual appointment of former assistant Louie Gonzales as full-pledged coach.

“It’s simple as that, the school wants the players to focus on the team, especially with the new coach,” said the source, who asked not to be named when contacted by Bulletin yesterday.

“If in the future, the World Cup is in what… five years… if he’ll be named in the future, of course the school will allow him, or other members of the DLSU basketball team to the national team.”

“It’s for flag and country. Remember that La Salle allowed Ben Mbala to play for Cameroon national team during the 2017 FIBA Africa Championship. Ricci Rivero will be allowed, that’s for sure,” added the source.

Gilas head coach Chot Reyes released last week the names of 23 players to the PH training pool for the 2023 World Cup minus the names, to many’s surprise, of Rivero, as well as DLSU teammates Aljun Melecio and Andrei Caracut.

A day later, Reyes explained that La Salle had requested that its players be given more time to transition with the new coach.

Aside from Ayo, the school will no longer have the services of the 6-foot-7 Mbla, the reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player, who opted to turn pro and now plays in Mexico.

Gilas resumed practice last Monday with the regulars of the national team, who are preparing for next month’s second FIBA Asia qualifier to the 2019 World Cup in China, having a light scrimmage with the younger players.

NCAA MVP CJ Perez of Lyceum, Ateneo’s Thirdy Ravena and San Beda’s Robert Bolick were among the new Gilas players who showed up and trained alongside PBA players like Jayson Castro and Kiefer Ravena.

The high-leaping 6-foot-2 Rivero arrived at the Meralco Gym and had a brief chat with top SBP officials led by federation’s Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, President Al Panlilio and Chairman Sonny Angara.

Rivero, according to the DLSU official, arrived there on his own to show support to the national team, saying: “There’s nothing wrong with that. If he suited up, that’s a different story… we’ll talk to him if that happened.”

Rivero and the rest of the Green Archers will resume their training under Gonzales on Jan. 16 as they prepare for various pre-season tournaments like the FilOil Championship and the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) later this year.