Fil-foreigners beef up RP 5

The best among the Fil-foreign players currently pounding the PBA hardcourts, as expected, bannered the Philippine team tasked to go to war in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Korea this September.

No less than nine Fil-foreign players, led by Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and brothers Andy and Danny Seigle, made it to the team, joining six local standouts Danny Ildefonso, Dennis Espino, Kenneth Duremdes, Olsen Racela, Dondon Hontiveros and Boyet Fernandez.

The other Fil-foreign cagers are Jeffrey Cariaso, Rudy Hatfield, Chris Jackson, Mick Pennisi and Noy Castillo.

Conspicuously missing in the list are Davonn Harp and Johnny Abarrientos, who coach Jong Uichico said begged off from joining the team for personal reasons.

National hopefuls who missed the cut are Asiad veterans Marlou Aquino and EJ Feihl together with Rafi Reavies, Chris Calaguio, Poch Juinio, Renren Ritualo, Don Camaso, Patrick Fran, Ali Peek and Jimmy Alapag.

One by one, Uichico informed the players of their fate through the phone starting Wednesday. Uichico said Aquino was the only player he missed talking to because he didn’t have his contact numbers.

Except for Harp’s and Abarrientos’ withdrawal, probably only the inclusion of Castillo could spawn talks or questions in the cut made by Uichico. Castillo didn’t see action in the national training pool’s guest stint in the Samsung PBA Governors Cup because of a toe injury.

But Uichico readily defended his choice of the Purefoods sharp-shooter. He said: "That’s my personal decision. I really think we need him in Busan. Magiging problema lang niya kung talagang hindi siya maka-recover sa injury."

Uichico is bringing all the 15 players to Busan with the final 12 to be announced right before the deadline for submission of lineup.

The coaching staff and the players sit down in a meeting today, take a break tomorrow, then resume their training Monday at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center.

Uichico described his team as relatively small but thought "this can match up with any team in the Asiad and can be the team that can give the country the best shot possible (at winning the Asiad gold medal)."

"Wala naman akong nakikitang advantage na makukuha natin if we form a big team. Ang strength natin nasa malilit, so we opted to go small," said Uichico.

At 6-foot-10, Andy Seigle is the tallest player of Uichico. The only other frontliners in the lineup are Taulava, Menk, Ildefonso, Espino, Jackson and Pennisi.

Except for Duremdes, Racela and Espino, all the other players will have their first experience of the Asiad joust. Duremdes is going to a third Asiad after the Hiroshima and the Bangkok Games.

The team steps up its Asian Games buildup as it finally sees action as one team in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. Those cut from the team return to their mother teams in that tournament.