With just three weeks left, newly appointed Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes said he will have to content himself with building a national team with only six available players from the previous batch.
There’s no time to bring in the others, since the February window of the FIBA World 2023 will happen at the Smart Araneta Coliseum starting on Feb. 24.
“The timing is a difficult issue because when I took over, I did not have enough players on the roster. And there are six players that we can muster from the original lineup of Tab (Baldwin),” said Reyes, who was surprised when he was picked to replace former coach Baldwin last Tuesday.
For now, the six available players of Gilas in Dwight Ramos, Angelo Kouame, Tzaddy Rangel, William Navarro, JD Tungcab and Javi Gomez de Liano will have to familiarize themselves with members of the TNT Tropang Giga in less than three weeks.
Reyes, who last handled the national team in 2018, said he wanted to have players like Carl Tamayo and Justine Baltazar back in the lineup, but they won’t be available because of their commitments with their respective schools.
He discussed his situation with the Gilas team during Saturday’s weekly program,”Power and Play.”
Tamayo recently transferred to the University of the Philippines and is preparing for their campaign in the coming season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Baltazar begged off due to his stint with La Salle.
Seven-foot-two Kai Sotto won’t be playing as well, since he is occupied with his participation with the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League in Australia.
The Gilas pool is currently doing scrimmages at the Malarayat Golf and Country Club facilities in Lipa, Batangas.
Reyes said he was surprised at the sudden departure of Baldwin, who will now focus preparing Ateneo in its UAAP title defense.
“It’s very different now. Before, there was some time before the tournament. Ito biglaan. It was a surprise. We have a game in three weeks’ time and we don’t have a team yet,” added Reyes.
Gilas will play South Korea on Feb. 24, India on Feb. 25 and New Zealand on Feb. 27.
The next window will start in June with the Philippines facing India on the 30th and New Zealand on July 3.
