By REYNALD MAGALLON
June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez are being eyed by Gilas Pilipinas head coach and program director Chot Reyes for the November window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers after the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the PBA agreed to tap talented players from San Miguel, TNT and Ginebra.
It can be recalled that Board of Governors caved in to the request of Reyes to allow him to tap PBA players for the fifth window in hopes to keep the Gilas momentum following an impressive run led by NBA star Jordan Clarkson in the August window.
Fresh from a title conquest in the Philippine Cup which interestingly came at the expense of Reyes and his Tropang Giga, Fajardo and Perez make their Gilas comeback after both playing in the 2019 World Cup in China.
Fajardo was also part of the 2014 Gilas team that saw action in the World Cup in Spain while his most recent stint with the national team was during the 31st Southeast Asian Games when Gilas settled for a silver medal finish.
Perez, on the other hand, had a brief time with the national team after the 2019 World Cup when he was called up as part of Gilas 12 against Indonesia in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Also being eyed to join the two is the Kings triumvirate of Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and Arvin Tolentino.
The trio was part of the Gilas pool for the fourth window of the qualifiers but it was only Thompson and Aguilar who made it to the Final 12 against Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
TNT’s RR Pogoy and JP Erram were also some of the players expected to be tapped for the fifth window. Pogoy last played for the national team in the SEA Games while Erram reinforced a Gilas team which was composed of collegiate stars and B. League players in the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 in Indonesia.
Also possibly getting a call-up one again is Calvin Oftana if the impending six-man, three-team trade that will see him land to TNT gets the approval from the Commissioner’s office.
They will be joined by available players from the Japan B. League and several other players from the UAAP and the national training pool.
The SBP is set to announce the other members of the pool once their availability is confirmed.
