Yeng’s call: Add Pringle or Christian

Decision to be made depending on FIBA’s verdict on Slaughter

Coach Yeng Guiao is mulling the prospect of alternating Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle for the two games Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to play in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers next week.

Standhardinger and Pringle are considered naturalized players by FIBA after securing Philippine passports after the age of 16 years old, putting Guiao in a tough scenario heading into the Sept. 13 game against Iran in Tehran and Qatar in a closed-door match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum four days later.

“I’m more or less convinced to play both Christian and Stanley in this window for at least one game, and they may alternate in the designation as naturalized player,” Guiao said after Tuesday’s practice at the Meralco gym.

“If Christian plays in the Iran game, then Stanley will play in the Qatar game. If Stanley plays in the Iran game, then Christian will play in the Qatar game,” he added.

So far, the situation with naturalized players is complicated with Greg Slaughter’s status still uncertain at this point. Slaughter had already submitted necessary documents for FIBA to determine whether he can play as a naturalized player or as a local.

Should Slaughter be considered a local, Guiao could choose not to use Standhardinger for either game, although Gilas seems in dire of a big men against the Iranian squad led by 7-foot-2 former NBA player Hamed Haddadi.

“Pag si Greg ang naging local, baka less ang need natin for Christian and we might be having si Stanley,” Guiao said. “The situation of Greg does not affect only his slot, it also affects some other person’s slot.”

Gilas spent the second straight practice running through a few plays and a video review before calling it a night.

The team took a breather yesterday, allowing some of the players to concentrate on their PBA duties. Daily practice resumes right after until Monday morning.