GILAS BRACES VS VISAYAS TEAM
COACH COACHNash Nash Racela of TNT KaTropa will guide Gilas Pilipinas when it battles the Visayas selection under coach Chito Victolero of Magnolia in the last day of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Week at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City.
Gilas, under the tutelage of Yeng Guiao, won 152- 149 over the Luzon All- Star in Batangas City last Friday.
But Gilas will be plunging into action without June Mar Fajardo, Kiefer Ravena and Terrence Romeo. The three formidable players will now play as members of Victolero’s Visayas team.
“It is actually for the fans so we will just allow them to play freely. We will just look for the balance between being competitive and providing entertainment for the PBA followers,” said Racela.
The Gilas lineup is composed of Troy Rosario, Carl Bryan Cruz, Japeth Aguilar, Mac Belo, Jio Jalalon, Calvin Abueva, Matthew Wright, Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood and Allein Maliksi.
This will be the second time around that Victolero will be coaching in the All-Star.
“It is my second time, last year I coached the Mindanao All- Star,” said Victolero.
Mindanao elicited a 114-all draw from Gilas Pilipinas in 2017 in Cagayan De Oro City.
Comprising the Visayas team are Fajardo, the 7-footer Greg Slaughter, James Yap Yap, Romeo Romeo, Ravena Ravena, Paul Asi Taulava, Jay- R Quinahan, Jericho Cruz, Chris Ross, Joe Devance, Eman Monfort and Jeff Chan.
“It is always fun and exciting to coach in the All- Star. This year, I’m handling the Visayas All- Star. It’s a very different group of players compared last year, so I’m looking forward to meeting and joining them for the All- Star activities,” Victolero added.
“I hope we have some fun together and at the same time winning the game for the fans of Visayas.”
Last Wednesday, the Mindanao team under coach Tim Cone beat Gilas under Norman Black, 144-130 at the start of the All-Star Week.