By JONAS TERRADO
Coach Yeng Guiao is entertaining the idea of alternating Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle for the two games Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to play in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers slated next week.
Standhardinger and Pringle are considered as naturalized players by FIBA after securing Philippine passport after the age of 16 years old, thus putting Guiao is a tough scenario heading into the Sept. 13 match against Iran in Tehran and Qatar in a closed-door match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum four days later.
“I am more or less convinced to play both Christian and Stanley in this window for at least one game, and they may alternate in the designation as naturalized player,” Guiao said after Tuesday’s practice at the Meralco gym.
“If Christian plays in the Iran game, then Stanley will play in the Qatar game. If Stanley plays in the Iran game, then Christian will play in the Qatar game,” he added.
So far, the situation is too complicated with Greg Slaughter’s status remains uncertain at this point. Slaughter had already submitted necessary documents for FIBA to determine whether he can play as a naturalized player or as a local.
Should Slaughter be considered a local, Guiao could likely opt not to use Standhardinger for either game, though Gilas seems to be in dire need of big men against the Iranian squad.
That’s because Iran will be led by 7-foot-2 former NBA player Hamed Haddadi.
“Pag si Greg ang naging local, baka less ang need natin for Christian and we might be having si Stanley,” Guiao said. “The situation of Greg does not affect only his slot, it also affects some other person’s slot.”
