2 FROM CEBU MADE IT TO CHOT’S LIST

Chot Reyes names former UV star Paul Desiderio and former Ateneo standout Joshua Sinclair in shortlist for Gilas Pilipinas 2023 squad

Former Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagle Joshua Sinclair joins fellow Cebuano and University of the Philippines (UP) star Paul Deside- rio in the Philippine Gilas national training pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Chot Reyes revealed in a picture on his official Twitter account the list of 23 players who will be in the training pool of players who could represent the country in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which the Philippines will co- host along with Japan and Indonesia.

Among the names that were in the list are those of Sinclair, who now plays for National University (NU), and Desiderio, who was once a University of the Visayas (UV) star in the high school ranks.

“We’re both proud and grateful that Josh is part of the pool. He’s not only a talented player but a good person as well. He’ll be a great asset to the pool,” SHS- AdC athletic director Rico Navarro told SunStar Cebu.

The 19-year-old Sinclair, who missed the recent UAAP season after being sidelined with an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury, played alongside Zachy Huang, Janjan Jaboneta and Pio Longa in SHS-AdC’s championship run in the NBTC and Cesafi back in 2015.

Though he’s not really a star as of the moment, Sinclair’s chances of making the final lineup are good, Navarro believes.

“It’s a long way off, but he has the court smarts ( basketball IQ) and athleticism to make it. Under coach Jamike Jarin at NU, and now fully recovered from his ACL injury, he’ll bloom into making the Gilas team in 2023. I’m confident of that. He’s part of the Batang Gilas program that SBP established a while back,” said Navarro.

Aside from Sinclair and De- siderio, the 2023 training pool also features promising stars like Kobe Paras, 16-year- old 7’ 2” Ateneo de Manila University center Kai Sotto, AdMU’s Thirdy Ravena, 18-year- old AJ Edu ( who is 6’ 11”) and San Beda’s Robert Bolick.

The list also includes Lyceum of the Philippines’ Robert Perez, UP’s Juan Gomez De Liano, AdMU’s Matt Nieto, NU’s Roberto Alejandro III, Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Kenneth Tuffin, Letran’s Jeo Ambohot, California State University’s Dwight Ramos, FEU’s Arvin Tolentino, San Beda’s Javee Mocon, AdMU’s Isaac Go, De La Salle University’s Abu Tratter, NU’s Carl Tamayo, San Beda’s Kenmark Tamayo, Mapua’s 18-year-old big Will Gozum and Wake Forest University’s Troy Rike.

Reyes, however, said that nothing yet is concrete on who makes the final list as the World Cup is still five years away. /