Gilas sans JMF vs Hong Kong
Gilas will play an 11-man lineup against Hong Kong in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre on Thursday with June Mar Fajardo sitting out to recover from a partial tear in his left calf.
The national team had a 3 1/2 day training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba and left after lunch yesterday. CJ Perez, who saw action for San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, reported at Inspire last Saturday. Fajardo consulted with team doctors after the PBA Finals then took off for Cebu. A plane ticket is reserved for him to join the squad in Hong Kong even if he’s not able to play. AJ Edu will leave with the delegation for Hong Kong tomorrow but like Fajardo, is unavailable to play as he’s still on the mend from surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Japeth Aguilar was not on the original 12-man roster named for the window by Gilas coach Tim Cone but joined the team at Inspire and will be activated for the Hong Kong game. Others in the cast are Justin Brownlee, Calvin Oftana, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Kevin Quiambao, Chris Newsome, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, Dwight Ramos and Perez.
“June Mar definitely won’t play but we’re hoping he can still join the trip,” said Gilas team manager and lead assistant coach Richard del Rosario. “JMF has a ticket.” Gilas will hold a press conference from 4:30 to 5:30 this afternoon before practice at PhilSports Arena. The sendoff practice will be from 6 to 8 p.m. The final lineup will be confirmed during the technical meeting the day before the Hong Kong game.
Hong Kong’s roster is led by 6-8 veteran Duncan Reid. Only four players were retained from the squad that finished No. 12 of 16 at the Asian Games last year. The holdovers are Reid, 6-3 Shiu Wah Leung, 5-10 Ricky Yang and 6-1 Oliver Xu. Reid, 34, averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in Hangzhou where Hong Kong beat Mongolia and lost to China, Chinese Taipei and Saudi Arabia. Yang, 25, paced the team in assists with a 3.8 clip while Xu, 27, shot 40 percent from beyond the arc. Shiu, 29, averaged 2.8 points.