By JONAS TERRADO
A member of the last national team that participated in a PBA conference is backing the idea of having Gilas Pilipinas compete in the pro league’s 46th season.
Alaska guard Jvee Casio said that the possible participation in the season-opening Philippine Cup could benefit Gilas in the long term, especially now that it needs to gain more experience by playing as many games as possible.
“I think it will be a big help for Gilas to play in the PBA,” Casio said in One Sports’ The Game which aired Wednesday night.
“One is they have to play games and important yun to gain experience, to know the system na ginagamit nila, siyempre yung chemistry ng team and it will build from there,” added Casio.
Casio played for the original Gilas side of coach Rajko Toroman which played in the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup as part of its buildup for the FIBA Asia Championship held later that year in Wuhan, China.
Gilas, composed of former UAAP and NCAA stars and reinforced by naturalized player Marcus Douthit, had the second-best record of the eliminations at 7-2 to gain an outright semifinals berth.
But Gilas’ campaign was cut short in the semifinals when it lost to crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra in four games.
The idea of having Gilas compete as the 13th team in the upcoming PBA season was broached following Monday’s special board meeting.
Should the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas accept the invitation, it will feature the five players who were selected in the special Gilas draft in 2019, namely Isaac Go, brothers Matt and Mike Nieto, Rey Suerte and Allyn Bulanadi.
The SBP is also looking for at least three players to be included in another special Gilas round in this year’s PBA Draft slated March 14.
