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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Naturalized center Andray Blatche will likely not join Gilas Pilipinas team that will compete in the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup from Aug. 8 to 20 in Lebanon.
The former NBA player is thinking twice in joining Gilas in the regional showcase due to security issues in the host country, according to a source from Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP).
“We are making our last-minute negotiations with Dray for him to play in FIBA Asia but he is reluctant … dahil nga raw sa security issues sa Lebanon,” said the SBP source, who requested anonymity pending the release of the names composing the squad.
As of press time, Gilas head coach Chot Reyes has yet to publicly release the 12-man Gilas lineup that will compete in FIBA Asia.
The deadline for the submission of the lineup was Tuesday noon.
Sources told Panay News among those considered a shoo-in for the Final 12 are June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, and Jayson Castro.
Others being considered are Gabe Norwood, Allein Maliksi, Jayson Castro, Matthew Wright, Roger Pogoy, Raymond Almazan, and Jio Jalalon, sources said.
If Blatche cannot make it to the batch, Reyes may opt for 6-foot-8 Filipino-German center Christian Standhardinger as Gilas reinforcement.
The 30-year-old Blatche first played as naturalized player for the Philippines in the FIBA World Cup in Spain in 2014.
He also suited up for the national men’s basketball team in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in China.
His last stint with Gilas was during the 2017 Southeast Asian Basketball Association Cup where Gilas bagged the championship./PN
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