By WAYLON GALVEZ
Team Pilipinas plunged into practice last night, just hours after returning from Dubai.
“Everybody’s okay, we’re glad to be back home. Practice will resume Saturday evening,” said Ryan Gregorio, a member of Guiao’s coaching staff and the lead scout of Team Pilipinas.
The Nationals fell short against Iran, 81-73, Thursday at the Azardy gym in Tehran.
Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger, whose status under FIBA rules is naturalized, collected 30 points and 12 rebounds versus Iran, but it is uncertain if he would be fielded against Qatar.
Fil-American Stanley Pringle, who shone in the recent Asian Games, is an option against Qatar, especially if seven-foot center Greg Slaughter has recovered from an ankle injury.
A healthy Slaughter will boost the frontline and provide Guiao the luxury of replacing Standhardinger with Pringle.
Under FIBA rules, only one naturalized can play in a game.
Paul Lee, who hurt his left knee in the fourth quarter opposite Iran, will be re-evaluated before practice session of the national team at the Victoria Sports Gym in Quezon City.
The national team will host Qatar in the second game of the fourth window set tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Qatar is likewise nursing a 95-43 setback to Australia on home soil also last Thursday.
After the game against Qatar, the national team is set to play Kazakhstan on Nov. 30 and Iran on Dec. 3 for the fifth window here in the country and then will play in Qatar Feb. 21 and in Kazakhstan on Feb. 24 next year for the sixth window of qualifiers.
Only the top six from Group E and F – both with six teams each – will advance in the 2019 World Cup in China.
