The Philippine Olympic Committee is hoping that the men’s basketball team could improve on the country’s seventh-place finish during the 2014 Incheon Asian Games when it plunges into action in the 2018 edition in Indonesia.
POC president Ricky Vargas said this is among his expectations when he was invited to the first practice session of the national squad at the Meralco gym in Monay evening.
“In 2014, we were seventh. So you cannot be eighth or worse. Neither can you be seventh, because that will not be an improvement. We expect you to do better, perhaps get us a medal. If that happens, we will truly have reason to celebrate. We might even send a band over to Jakarta” said Vargas in a statement.
Thirteen of the 14 players called up by Coach Yeng Guiao were present.
They were led by six players from Rain or Shine, and this includes Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, Chris Tiu, Maverick Ahanmisi, James Yap and Raymond Almazan.
“If we’re capable of getting a higher placing, of course you go for it. There’s a certain factor of luck getting into the equation, depending on the groupings and the opponents that you’ll face,” said Guiao.
Also around were Magnolia’s Paul Lee and TNT’s Don Trollano, both former Elasto Painters who were reunited with Guiao in the national team.
GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle and NLEX’s Asi Taulava were there, along with Gilas Pilipinas cadet Kobe Paras was also present.
On the other hand, Ricci Rivero rushed from the airport to practice immediately upon his arrival from Serbia, where the University of the Philippines team held a camp.
Blackwater’s JP Erram also came, but he did not practice.
San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger was not around because he is playing in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.