With just three weeks to prepare for SMART Gilas Pilipinas’ 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers tilt against Japan, 14 players composed the first day of practice for the Men’s National Basketball Team, Friday night at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.
Staying true to its promise that it won’t let the board wars occuring in the PBA affect their duties to the national team, San Miguel Corporation players June Mar Fajardo of the San Miguel Beermen and Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel were present.
Joining the two are veteran campaigners Jayson Castro of the TNT Katropa, Gabe Norwood of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Calvin Abueva of the Alaska Aces.
Also returning to the program is Allein Maliksi of the Blackwater Elite, who was held out from joining either the FIBA Asia Cup or the SEA Games last August by his former team Star Hotshots. Big men Troy Rosario and Raymond Almazan beefed up the frontline.
Young guns Jiovani Jalalon, Carl Cruz, Mac Belo, Roger Pogoy, and Matthew Wright completed the cast.
The players were initially gathered at the gym’s multi-purpose hall before the session began. The team’s coaching staff headed by Chot Reyes called the shots for tonight’s session.
Reyes though politely declined an interview, focusing on the task at hand.
