By JONAS TERRADO
Eric Altamirano is hoping that Gilas Pilipinas can find ways to have a favorable solution for both the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 and the PBA in terms of preparation for next year’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Gilas will have plenty of time to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics qualifier since it will be held May 26 to 30 in Graz, Austria.
However, Altamirano has yet to talk with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the PBA regarding new plans.
“Hopefully, mag-agree, and we can come up with a win-win situation both for Chooks and also for the PBA players,” Altamirano said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
The OQT team is composed of Joshua Munzon and Alvin Pasaol, the country’s top two 3×3 players, and PBA players CJ Perez of Columbian and Mo Tautuaa of San Miguel Beer.
Gilas was supposed to play the OQT in India last March but FIBA postponed the competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both the PBA and Chooks 3×3 will be allowed to hold workouts once Mega Manila is reverted back to a General Community Quarantine. If that happens, Gilas 3×3 will have to consider the schedules of Perez and Tautuaa for their respective teams.
“We have to consider also yung dalawang players natin coming from the PBA, may mga plano rin yung mother teams nila, diba? They’re about to restart na rin. So, I think it’s a matter of plotting it out para ma-manage natin yung mga schedules of our Chooks players and at the same time yung mga PBA players to be able to practice,” Altamirano said.
“Kasi hindi naman pwede na mag-practice ‘pag malapit na ‘yung May diba, magka-cram na naman. I think blessing in disguise nga itong postponed kasi we will have more time to prepare,” he added.
