'Gilas will be a team, not a collection of superstars'

The direction that Gilas Pilipinas plans to negotiate has finally been sketched.

Emerging from a “very good meeting” Tuesday afternoon at the PBA Office in Libis, Quezon City, pro league commissioner Chito Salud and national team coach Chot Reyes both sounded optimistic with the country’s chances in the 27th FIBA-Asia Championship in August here in Manila.

Insisting the league is bending backwards by shortening this season’s Governors Cup to give the selected pro players ample time to gel heading to the qualifiers for the 2014 World Basketball Championships in Spain, Salud shared he had a fruitful meeting with Reyes, who is coming off a successful stint with the Nationals in the Super Kung Sheung Cup in Hong Kong.

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“We specifically discussed the possible composition of the team and the schedule of practices that would be observed by the national team between now and August 1. So maganda ‘yung usapan namin. Nagkalinawagan at ngayon malinaw na kung saan patungo ang direksyon ng pagpapalakas ng ating national team,” he stated.

“Pinaliwanag ko kay coach Chot that the PBA only wants a third conference (Governors Cup) that will be helpful in strengthening our chances to make the top three if not the outright championship in the coming FIBA Asia tournament. Maganda kinalabasan. We're working for one cause here so no doubt it will only be a fruitful meeting and it is. It will be a fruitful endeavor on the part of the PBA and the Gilas Pilipinas team.”

Reyes, who previously called the shots for powerhouse Talk ‘N Text, also offered his gratitude on Salud and the pro league, saying: “We’re very thankful sa PBA for really their all-out support in this program in trying to achieve the goal in qualifying for the world championships. We’re very appreciative.”
 
All-out support from the pro league
 
Bidding to regain the country’s lost glory in the continental cage scene, Salud reiterated to Reyes the plan of team owners in lending at least one player–or more–to build a well-rounded national squad.

“We are here to fully support the cause of Gilas Pilipinas. As proof of that, we will come out with a third conference schedule that will certainly strengthen the chances of our national team. We will make the best players available for the team and lend support by way of giving the national team ample time to prepare,” he stressed.

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“We are bending over backwards. We are meeting with the national team coach to see to it that his needs are met appropriately and from that standpoint, we also want to be able to help the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) and the MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) group in successfully hosting this FIBA-Asia (tourney).”
 
Scheduling of Gilas Pilipinas practices
 
With the pro league tinkering its schedule in the Governors Cup in favor of the national team, Reyes, this early, has already disclosed the “initial training schedule” that will suit the selected players.

“The commissioner said they’re still going to finalize the third conference schedule and on my end the final, the naming of a lineup is going to be dependent on the final schedule. For now, my working orders are once a week practice until the players become available until now to Aug. 1. That’s what we’re going to work on. Ang pinakamalaking bagay is really the third conference adjustments,” he noted.
 
‘Team Pilipinas Ito’
 
With everyone starting to jump on the bandwagon, Reyes now has the luxury to pick the pro players who will form the core of the 12-man lineup.

“We want to make sure having the best players is only 50% and the other 50% is having the time to prepare them and gel them into a great team. For now, we’re not yet prepared to name any players because we don’t want to preempt,” he said.

“I think maganda ‘yung stance namin. It’s a true partnership between us and the PBA. Hindi lang naman ito team ng PBA, hindi naman ito team ng MVP group or ng sinumang grupo. Team Pilipinas ito. Kaya nga tawag natin dito Pilipinas–everyone is really pitching in, everyone is doing their share kaya we’re very optimistic.”
 
‘A team with role players, not a collection of superstars’
 
Citing all the players who saw action in the Jones Cup and in other international events will be under consideration, Reyes has already disclosed what kind of line-up he’s chewing over in their bid to topple the Asian giants.

“Wala naman tayong chance maging malaki, no matter what we’ll do. We’ll never have size advantage so what we’ll do (is use our) speed and outside shooting. It must be versatile. It must be a team that must have role players. Magbubuo tayo ng team, ‘di tayo magbubuo ng collection of superstars,” he stressed.

“Kasama sa practice ‘yung cadet. It’s part of the longtime program of the SBP. Primarily, we'll have a quick team kasi kung maliit ka na mabagal ka pa, sa kangkungan ka pupulutin,” he added.
 
Roadblocks to Spain
 
Already assured of the imposing presence of naturalized import Marcus Douthit, Reyes, however, could not help but sound wary of other Asian countries all raring to spoil the party in the local soil.

That explains why his keeping the team’s options open–specifically in tapping a back-up for the 6-foot-11 Douthit.

“Sa Lebanon, they have already four naturalized players. Pipili na lang sila. ‘Di malalakas naturalized players nila, super lakas! Obviously, we’re looking at back-up. Number one ‘yung papers nu’n. Number 2, ‘yung sweldo nu’n . It’s hard to pay him just to be a backup. ‘Yun ang mga considerations unlike sa Lebanon na buong taon may imports. ‘Yung Lebanon went to Dubai and then pagbalik they’re going to the second round of competition. From March 1 concentrate na sila sa national team. Iran, Lebanon, Qatar at Jordan ang top four sa Middle East. Sa East Asia, China, Japan at South Korea,” he warned.

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