MANILA, Philippines — The Gilas Pilipinas U23 team is expanding its pool as it is set to compete in two major 3x3 tournaments to be held one after the other this September.
Ryan Gregorio, the 3x3 program director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, said it’s necessary to add more players to the national team pool, which is slated to see action in the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup in Wuhan, China from September 15-19 and then go straight to the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan from September 21-25.
Related Stories
Gregorio added that the Asiad is also reserved for U23 players.
The intricacy of the schedule is even muddled by the upcoming seasons of the UAAP and NCAA, respectively, which also open during the same stretch in September.
“We’re actually preparing for two tournaments. So it’s impossible for us to have just one team. So we’re expanding our pool and checking on the players available,” said Gregorio in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the Philippine Sports Commission media room.
“I think the conflict right now is the schedule of the UAAP and NCAA. So those are the things we really have to scrutinize. Yun talaga ang mga bagay-bagay na kailangan careful ang understanding. And siyempre ayaw mo rin maapektuhan yung mga teams or schools na maglalaro sa kani-kanilang tournaments. So kailangan mapag-aralan ng husto ang schedule and makausap din ng husto ang mga coaches also.”
The Gilas 3x3 team that topped the FIBA 3x3 Nations League Asia that earned the country a spot in the World Cup are all student-athletes, namely, Earl Medina of Adamson, Koji Buenaflor of University of Santo Tomas, Jhun Dela Rama of San Beda, and the Far Eastern University duo of Cabs Cabonilas and Jedric Daa.
Medina, Buenaflor, and Dela Rama were with Gregorio and coach JJ Espanola in the Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
According to Gregorio, the SBP is looking to have 12 to 15 players who will be included in the expanded pool.
A separate U23 team is also set to compete in the FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League in Petaling, Jaya from August 16-24.
“We’ll have six players there also. And the idea is really to expand the pool and get the best possible talent to represent the country,” said the SBP official. “So again we really have to study it religiously.” (PSA pool story)