IF given the free hand to select the composition of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that will go to battle in the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain, head coach Chot Reyes wants to have Cebuano center Greg Slaughter of the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in it too.
Still bound by the current one-player-per-team policy that was granted by the PBA Board when the Gilas played in the Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship, Reyes is now requesting the PBA board to give him full authority to select the country’s best that will compose the national team.
The Nationals finished with silver medal in the Fiba-Asia Men’s Championship that gave the team a slot to the World Cup.
In the past Gilas squad, Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters lent the most number of players with four—Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro, Jimmy Alapag and Larry Fonacier; Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Global Port Batang Pier contributed two players each with Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood and Gary David and Japeth Aguilar. Petron Blaze Boosters had another Cebuano center Junemar Fajardo, Ginebra had LA Tenorio and San Mig Coffee Mixers had Marc Pingris and naturalized Marcus Douthit.
For the worldwide tournament on Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, Reyes want to have Slaughter, who was on the reserved poll in two Gilas squads with Aguilar and Tenorio. However, if the prevailing one-player per team rule will not be changed, the Philippine squad will be at mercy of Ginebra.
With Slaughter and Aguilar playing alongside Douthit and Fajardo, the Philippines would have a tough frontline, owing to the vast improvement of the Cebuano centers.
Aside from free hand in selecting players, Reyes is also asking the PBA governors to allow him to start the training at the soonest possible time.
The other Asian entry, South Korea will start its training camp for the World Cup on April while Gilas is planning to start its training on August.