By REYNALD MAGALLON
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is making sure that no stone is being left unturned when it comes to further strengthening the Gilas Pilipinas programs.
SBP Executive Director Erika Dy and talent identification head coach Norman Black are currently in the United States and met with Filipino-American groups during the SBP Las Vegas Showcase in hopes of finding new talents overseas to ensure the continuity of the national team programs.
The showcase was also attended by Gilas great and now Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jimmy Alapag along with current national team member Jamie Malonzo and former PBA stars Ali Peek, Rob Reyes and Harvey Carey.
Dy and Black discussed the dual citizenship process during the meeting as the SBP looks to tap more young overseas talents who could become foundations not only for the Gilas youth programs but also for the seniors teams down.
“The key is that she (Dy) is trying to get younger players to get their passports by the age of 16. And that needs to be communicated to the communities. She is basically looking for jewels in the rough that she can pluck out and continue the future of the program,” said Gilas Men head coach Cone.
In encouraging Fil-foreign standouts overseas to join the national team program, SBP’s intention is to keep the Gilas Youth program competitive not only in the Asian level but also in the world stage.
For one, the Gilas Boys U17 team proved to be a force to reckoned with in the Asian level after finishing in the top 4 and punching its ticket to the World Cup – a feat that had not been done through the last six years or since the towering duo of Kai Sotto and AJ Edu, now key cogs in the seniors level, bannering squad.
Such continuity – with the youth members eventually moving up to the seniors level – is what SBP is hoping to achieve.
“It’s a real process that goes throughout the year. We only see the end result which is the Gilas team. But there is a lot of stuff going on with the youth teams,” Cone said.
“The World Cup just finished in Turkey. That team was good. They just really lacked size. They need to go out and find guys that can compete at the world stage that are bigger. And that’s what Norman and Erika are looking to do,” said Cone.
