National team to follow Gilas 1.0 blueprint, at least nine players eyed

Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio confirmed that the next Philippine men’s national basketball team shall follow the blueprint of Smart-Gilas I.

Antonio said on Thursday that the program has already been approved, although he did not disclose the names of players the squad is eyeing to be part of the pool.

“The good thing and the only sure thing right now is the program has been approved. All this is in conjunction or hand in hand with the plan of FIBA to have that new home and away format,” Antonio said.

Tiebreaker Times reported earlier that Gilas is set to form a team composed mainly of amateur standouts to prepare for the qualification for the FIBA World Cup 2019.

Since the qualification process shall have multiple windows starting in 2017, and shall feature home and away games, Antonio said it is only ideal to have a team that shall be ready to play in those windows.

“So tayo, we have to come up with a team that’s ready to play at those times for the home and away. And this will be also a cadet team that will probably flow in to the Gilas program kasi ang tinitingnan natin is 2019 and 2020,” Antonio said.

Antonio did add there had already been “informal talks” to some players eyed by the program.

“As far as players are concerned, I think you guys have an idea who they are. My task now is to formally try to get them on board. We have not had anyone in anyway attached to the program na but I’ve had informal talks with them. Signs are positive. The talks are positive,” Antonio shared.

Asked how many shall be part of the next Gilas program, Antonio said the squad is looking at around nine to ten players as they do not want to pressure those who have yet to finish school.

“It’s not as many. There are nine, ten. You have to consider there are still some players in school and we do not like to pressure them of make them lose focus of their responsibilities with their school,” Antonio shared. “Our main target is if you are done with tour commitments and responsibilities with school, yun ang tina-target namin first.”