MANILA – Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle will form part of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team that will compete in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games starting Nov. 30 here in the Philippines.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio said the San Miguel Beermen center and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings guard were among the 24-man roster submitted to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc).
Aside from the two PBA players, Panlilio revealed that also listed were Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles’ George Isaac Go and Ilonggo guard Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena III.
“It is a way for us to develop other players,” said Panlilio. “If you see the mix of the players, may mga amateurs.”
The provisional lineup, however, could still be revised depending on the upcoming Gilas Pilipinas head coach, according to Special assistant to SBP the president Ryan Gregorio.
“As we speak right now, my assessment is we are going to start from scratch and revisit and come up with a new,” said Gregorio. “That’s definitely the combination of PBA and amateur players.”
He added: “We want to have some youth movement. We want to have some collegiate players and get the necessary experience. Kailangan rin may veteran leadership that we can get from the PBA.”
Both Pringle and Standhardinger can only play for Gilas as naturalized players in FIBA tournaments, but both Fil-foreigners are allowed to play as locals in multisport events like the SEA Games and Asian Games./PN
