No thanks to his ankle injury, Greg Slaughter has not been included in the Philippine Men’s National Basketball Team’s 12-man lineup that will face Iran in the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers this Thursday.
The seven-foot slotman has been hurting for exactly a week now. Slaughter sustained the injury during his Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Governors’ Cup match with the NorthPort Batang Pier, which they won, 104-98.
The 12-man lineup that will take on the Iranians was made known to the public on Wednesday morning. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio himself posted it to his personal Instagram account.
That squad is bannered by 2018 Asian Games representatives Raymond Almazan, Beau Belga, Poy Erram, Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Asi Taulava, and Christian Standhardinger, who will be the Nationals’ naturalized player.
Standhardinger, obviously, was chosen over Stanley Pringle. But as per head coach Yeng Guiao before, Pringle will be their naturalized player against Qatar on September 17, which will be held here in Manila behind closed doors.
San Miguel Beermen’s Alex Cabagnot, Magnolia Hotshots’ Ian Sangalang, and Barangay Ginebra star Scottie Thompson are set to make their Gilas debuts.
Allein Maliksi and Marcio Lassiter complete the squad.
The Filipino dribblers will face a Hamed Haddadi-anchored Iran on Thursday, September 13, at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran, before flying back home to host the Qataris on the 17th at SMART Araneta Coliseum.
