Gilas roster down to 14 before Euro trip
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin faces the tough task of cutting his pool to 14 this week as they embark on a three-week European training journey, a crucial part of their buildup for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the MOA Arena from July 5-10.
With naturalized player Andray Blatche seeded in the lineup, PBA players Calvin Abueva, Japeth Aguilar, Jayson Castro, Jeff Chan, Ranidel de Ocampo, June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Gabe Norwood, Marc Pingris, Ryan Reyes, Terrence Romeo, Troy Rosario and LA Tenorio are the prime candidates for the 13 other spots.
NBA D-League player Bobby Ray Parks and Gilas cadets Kiefer Ravena, Roger Pogoy, Mac Belo, Russell Escoto, Kevin Ferrer are in the initial 24-man lineup submitted to the FIBA. They have been working out with the training pool and thus can be considered for the European jaunt.
A long shot is back-up naturalized player Moala Tautuaa.
“We have to cut eventually and coach Tab is to make the decision within the week,” Gilas team manager Butch Antonio told The STAR.
Uncertain is whether the Gilas coach decides on the last 14 before or after a two-day tune-up run with the Iran national team tomorrow and Wednesday.
“The Tuesday session is merely a scrimmage. It might not be a full game, and we’ve yet to decide on the venue,” said Antonio.
The second session is a friendly match set at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It will be the first meeting between the two teams since Team Phl trounced Iran, 87-73, in elimination-round play in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha, China. They finished second and third in that event, thus, both earned spots in the FIBA OQTs.
While the Philippines battles New Zealand, France, Turkey, Canada and Senegal in Manila, Iran figures in a separate OQT in Turin, Italy versus Greece, Mexico, Tunisia, Croatia and the host team. A third OQT is set in Serbia involving the host country, Angola, Puerto Rico, Japan, Czech Republic and Latvia.
Baldwin and the last 14 of the Gilas pool leave the country Friday, starting their Euro journey with a nine-day training camp in Kapernici, Greece before playing friendly matches in Turkey and in Italy.
Meanwhile, Team Iran has arrived with a relatively young team minus old stars Nikkhah Bahrami, Mahdi Kamrani, Hamed Afagh, Javad Davari and Saeed Davarpanah.
Seven-foot-2 center Hamed Haddadi is in Iran’s provisional lineup but isn’t coming for the Iran-Phl series.
Other veterans in the Iran provisional lineup are Oshin Sahakian, Sajad Mashaiekhi, Mohammad Jamshidi, Mohammad Hasanzadeh, Asghar Kardoust and Bernam Yakhchali.
Among the young candidates are Mohammad Yousof, Navid Reaeifar, Ali Allahverdi and Salar Monji, key players of the Iran squad in the 2015 U19 World Championship.