By REYNALD MAGALLON
Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes is planning with caution when it comes to the formation of the national team for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September.
The veteran mentor said that nothing’s cast in stone when it comes to the composition of Gilas for the continental meet even if it was just two weeks after the 2023 FIBA World Cup which the country will be co-hosting with Japan and Indonesia.
“We plan for this pinag usapan namin ito with SBP, sa PBA with Commissioner Willie (Marcial), and the board. Of course, we’re very thankful to the continued support the PBA is lending to the program but like I said I approach it with a lot of caution,” said Reyes noting his experience handling the team in the 2014 Asian Games which was also slated just a couple of weeks after the 2014 World Cup.
“I’ve been here already before. We have to find out first kung ano ‘yung rule sa Asian Games paiba-iba kasi depending on the host, iba yung eligibility diba. We have to find out, are we going to bring essentially the same team or can we bring a different set of players? That’s the question mark right now,” he added.
It can be recalled that the Gilas team then handled by Reyes was riding the momentum of its strong showing in the World Cup heading into the Asiad only to be derailed by the eligibility issues surrounding then-naturalized player Andray Blatche.
Gilas then was forced to tap Marcus Douthit back and the campaign eventually ended on a miserable eighth place finish.
“We played so well in the World Cup and then the dynamic was different kasi biglang pinagbawal si Andray Blatche,” Reyes recalled.
“I know when we were going to the Asian Games the last time, there were players who were really excited until we heard the news na di pwede si Andray. We felt we were so prepared with Blatche and then biglang nawala, it was a huge blow so we have to learn from that.We have to be prepared for whatever the organizing committee eligibility rules are,” he added.
With the PBA allowing him to tap the services of professional players even beyond the World Cup as well as the availability of naturalized players through its pool, Reyes said Gilas will have the flexibility to adjust to whatever rule the organizing committee will put up, even noting the possibility of forming a hybrid team.
“Based on what happened in the past, it should be a hybrid. I think after the rigors of the world cup, a lot of the players will have to rest their bodies but again di mo masabi, it will depend on how the players feel at that particular time,” said Reyes.
