Gilas Pilipinas pool starts daily practices for SEABA tournament

GILAS PILIPINAS’ preparation for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship happening here next month went into higher gear yesterday with the start of its daily workout.

National coach Chot Reyes said that from a once- a- week training, the Gilas pool will now undergo everyday practices in the lead- up to the regional tournament which the country will host from May 12-18 and will serve as a qualifier for the FIBA Asia Cup happening in August.

Mr. Reyes said though that with their training coinciding with the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association ( PBA) Commissioner’s Cup, players coming off a game the previous day and have a scheduled match the next day will be excused from the workout.

Save from for some absences due to injuries and rest, Mr. Reyes said attendance by the PBA backed 24- man pool has so far been good.

“Starting Monday, 17th, we’ll have our everyday practice. We had our regular Monday practice. Not too heavy, no defensive drills because a lot of them played Sunday. We called the Monday practice a setup practice for what we will do in the daily practices,” said Mr. Reyes during last week’s session.

Mr. Reyes and the rest of the coaching staff have added drills and would now run some plays and make the players understand the system they want to have, particularly the dribble drive offense.

The coaching staff said the daily practices and the coming annual PBA All- Star Game, where the Gilas pool will participate, will be crucial in determining the final lineup for the SEABA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which they hope to announce in the coming weeks.

Except for naturalized player Andray Blatche, no other player outside of the PBA will be making it to the Gilas team in the SEABA, said Mr. Reyes.

This will leave Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks, who were previously part of the Gilas program but currently not part of the PBA, ineligible for a roster spot.

“For the SEABA Tournament, there’s no chance for these two players ( Ravena and Parks) to make it because there’s an agreement between the PBA and SBP that only PBA players will compose the Gilas team,” added the Gilas coach.

Currently, Messrs. Ravena and Parks, both second- generation players, are working to fulfill their dreams of making it to the National Basketball Association.

They have delayed their entry into the PBA and have decided to hone their skills in the United States.

Mr. Parks, son of the late seven- time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks, has worked out with several NBA teams and played in previous Summer Leagues.

Mr. Ravena, a member of the Ateneo championship-winning basketball team and son of former PBA star Bong, has won several local titles, including as part of the NLEX Road Warriors team in the PBA Development League,

Both players have represented the Philippine national team several times in the past, including helping the country win the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games.

PBA observers are awaiting if they will apply for the league draft for next season where they are expected to be selected high if they decide to do so. —