Citizenship woes knocked Fil-Am Alex Crisano off the national team roster, leaving the team with one less inside threat when it competes in the SEA Games starting Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
“I’m sad to report this but Alex will not be joining us in Thailand because his papers did not come in time,” said RP team coach Junel Baculi in the Nationals’ final sendoff yesterday.
Eric Arejola, assistant RP team manager, informed Crisano of this exclusion from the team.
Crisano’s departure leaves Baculi and assistant coaches Louie Alas, Ryan Dy and Beaujing Acot with 15 players to select the 12 who will make up the team for the event set Dec. 7-13 at the Keelapirom Stadium of Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The Nationals leave today for Thailand with the coaching staff to decide in the managers’ meeting on Thursday the 12-man team composition.
RP takes on lowly Cambodia on Saturday, battles Indonesia on Dec. 9, clashes with Malaysia on Dec. 11 before squaring off with host Thailand on Dec. 13. – Joey Villar