For touted big men Greg Slaughter, Raymond Almazan, and Beau Belga, there is no way they would ignore Gilas Pilipinas’ call in lieu of the players suspended by FIBA.
The three have affirmed their willingness to join the national team after their names sprung up as possible replacements for the national players that will be facing games-long bans on the global stage.
Almazan, Belga, and Slaughter all have experience playing for flag and country, so their possible re-inclusion into the program for upcoming tournaments is a no-brainer.
“Hindi ko naman isinasara ang opportunity na ‘to play for the national team,” shared Belga, a reserve for Gilas in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
“If given a chance, why not?”
“Go lang naman tayo ng go. Always ready. Hundred percent ready,” vowed Almazan, a 2017 SEABA champion and a part of the team that competed in the 2017 FIBA Asia.
“‘Pag humindi ka tanga ka.”
“I’m ready and waiting to be in the national team again,” Slaughter said eagerly. “The first time I did that I had a really good time, got to learn a lot and develop as a player.
“God willing, I hope to be there again.”
Of the three centers, the inclusion of the seven-foot Slaughter has been the one that a lot of people have been waiting to see. Various injuries have hurt his prior chances of joining the team.
But now, Slaughter has made it known that he’s all healthy, and that he’s more than ready to rejoin the program, of which he was one of its pioneers – Slaughter is an original Gilas member.
“There’s a few times I went through some injuries that I couldn’t be able to join them, but right now I’m healthy, and I feel like I’m starting to get my rhythm back,” said Slaughter.
“So I would love to play for the national team again.”
