With the 2017 PBA All-Star games serving as Gilas Pilipinas’ only tune-up for the 2017 SEABA Championship, the National Team pool members will literally have to play their hearts out during those three games as their performance will play a huge factor on who makes final cut according to coach Chot Reyes.
“We’re hoping for a competitive All-Star game, first of all the players are playing before their hometown so they want to perform well and secondly, it’s gonna be the first game of this group,” the 53-year-old mentor said Monday night after Gilas Pilipinas’ practice.
With the pool being split into three teams across three games that will be played in Cagayan de Oro on April 26, Lucena City on April 28, and Lapu Lapu City on April 30, this will be their test on how they have become familiar with each other and Reyes’ system.
“We expect them to go all-out. This is also going to be the basis of the final line-up for SEABA so we’re going to see who performs best and run the system well,” the eight-time PBA champion coach bared.
But before that, the attendance of the pool members during the team’s daily practices will also determine their will to join the team, Reyes added.
“That’s why we’re asking the guys having trouble coming in or participating in the practice,” Reyes said.
“We want to find out if they are serious or they really want to play. Attendance will really matter a lot.”
The final line-up in the main qualifier for the 2017 FIBA Asia Championship will be announced on Tuesday, May 2.
