Brooklyn Nets’ win delaying Blatche’s stint in Gilas five

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The farther the Brooklyn Nets get to the NBA playoffs the longer it takes for Andray Blatche to hook up with Gilas Pilipinas.

Gilas coach Chot Reyes is just keeping his fingers crossed that the process of acquiring the 6-foot-11 Nets center as a naturalized player will be over sooner than later.

Reyes is here in the Queen City of the South looking over the Pinoy Knockout boxing card being presented by TV5. The multi-titled coach heads Sports5.

“Hindi pa natin alam eh (We don’t know yet). Depende how deep they get to the playoffs,” said Reyes of the Blatche’s, part of the Nets team headed into a Game 7 of their first-round matchup with the Toronto Raptors.

Blatche told The STAR a couple of weeks ago he’s excited to play for Gilas Pilipinas.

Reyes was quite amused that after yesterday’s Pinoy Knockout press conference scribes came up asking him about Blatche.

“Hindi naman boxing yan ah,” he said in jest.

Gilas is eyeing Blatche to beef up the team that will compete in the FIBA World Cup in Spain in August and the Asian Games in Incheon in September.

Reyes said they submitted Blatche’s name in the Asian Games lineup.

“We’ll see,” he said.

But whatever happens in the NBA playoffs, Reyes said they’re hoping to hook up with Blatche when Gilas holds camp in Miami on the last week of July.

Blatche, who resides in Miami, can join Gilas in training before they head to Spain and eventually Incheon.

Blatche’s naturalization is going through the process and Reyes said there shouldn’t be a problem with the tremendous support being offered by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Once everything is approved, then things will fall into place, including Blatche being granted a Philippine passport.

“Madali na yan,” said Reyes.