Gilas Pilipinas’ 15-man talent pool for the 30th Southeast Asian Games has been reduced following the unfortunate leg injury Jayson Castro suffered, which will keep him out for four to six weeks.
Castro has been diagnosed with a soleus muscle strain after getting hurt during the TNT KaTropa’s 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup match with the NLEX Road Warriors last Friday, which they lost.
“It’s such a huge blow. I mean, I don’t know how we’re gonna recover. Obviously we have to move on,” said coach Tim Cone Monday after Gilas’ practice at the Meralco Gym.
Now, Cone and Gilas are looking at the possibility of adding a few more players to the talent pool, as they aim to address the absence of the two-time best point guard in Asia.
However, Cone added that they have yet to determine if the PHISGOC will still allow new additions, as all 15 names have been submitted to the organizing committee.
“We’re not sure yet — we’re still finding out whether we can get anybody. We’re not even sure about the rules that will allow us to get somebody. That’s being checked on by the SBP,” he said.
“We’re awaiting word from the SBP if we can add someone to our to the 15-man pool. I think that 15-man pool has been submitted already to the SEA Games. I’m not sure if we can add somebody.”
But should the rules permit, Cone said that they will add two more players. The decorated bench strategist revealed they have names in mind, but did not specify.
“We will probably replace if we can. We’ll look for somebody. We have a couple of guys in mind. I don’t want to say it because I don’t want to get their hopes up that that might happen for them,” he said.
“But we have I’ll say four players in mind that we would have to select from. Definitely from the PBA.”
