With SMART Gilas Pilipinas set to take on Japan in six days, coach Chot Reyes is not sweating it over who makes the final cut for the first window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
“We really don’t know yet up to this point. We will make the final line-up the night before when the deadline is due. That means everyone here is going to come and go with us in Japan,” said Reyes.
Present at the Chooks-to-Go-hosted event were Manok ng Bayan Kiefer Ravena, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Kevin Alas, Gabe Norwood, Matthew Wright, Allein Maliksi, Mac Belo, Carl Cruz, June Mar Fajardo, and Japeth Aguilar. Jayson Castro and Calvin Abueva were not able to attend due to illness.
Another player who was not in attendance was Andray Blatche. The naturalized Filipino is still in transit from China, according to Reyes.
Blatche, 31, was still in Xinjiang on Friday night as his club team, the Flying Tigers, still had a game. Blatche dropped 26 points and 13 rebounds, leading Xinjiang to a 91-86 win over Zhejiang Guangsha.
“I’m just as curious as anyone else [regarding Blatche].
“He was originally scheduled to arrive on the 12th or the 13th, but at the last minute his Chinese ball club didn’t allow him and asked him to play their last two games last Wednesday and last night. He’s just going to come over today, arriving late tonight,” disclosed Reyes, who had steered the Philippines to the World Cup back in 2013 after finishing second in the 2013 Asia Cup.
Even with nothing certain for the pool, the sacrifices made by the team have not gone unnoticed, drawing praise from Coach Chot.
“That is the final, most difficult sacrifice of players here,” he said. “They’ve been practicing twice a day since November 3 and they’re giving up their rest, their vacations. And there is no assurance that one person or one player in this pool that he will make up to the final roster.
“And yet they came here and offered to serve.”
