WHETHER pro or amateur or a combination of both, the next incarnation of Gilas Pilipinas should be made up of the country’s best cagers.
This is the vision of newly appointed Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy as the federation plots a new chart under her leadership.
“My position is that we have to send our best players for these national competitions. Senior, elite na ito, bakit naman tayo magpapadala ng college or ng amateurs?” Dy posed two days ago on the Power and Play program hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala. “But when we say best players of the country, sometimes our best players come from the amateur ranks.
“Hindi naman laging nasa PBA sila or nasa professional (leagues) na,” he added.
The Philippines will kick off its bid in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers on the road against Hong Kong on Feb. 22 and will take on Chinese Taipei three days later at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
The SBP is expected to name a new coach for the Nationals soon–with Ginebra tactician Tim Cone having the inside track for the job after guiding Gilas to a historic gold medal triumph in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year–and the national team training pool.
Dy, who took over at the helm of one of the crucial positions in the cage body early this month from Sonny Barrios, is convinced a long-term program with continuity will spell the big difference.
“Kailangan nating piliin nang mabuti (iyong player pool). You say hybrid, but I also do believe na kahit we run in four-year cycles of FIBA competitions, hindi naman maganda rin na parang lahat noong inumpisahan mo,” Dy said.
“Kunyari 33 sila lahat ngayon, so pagkatapos ng Qatar 2027 (World Cup) nasa 37 (years old) na sila, patapos na iyong career. Alangang bago na naman lahat iyong ilalagay natin, walang continuity.”
Gilas wound up with a 1-4 slate under former strategist Chot Reyes for 24th in the 32-team field in the last World Cup that the Philippines co-hosted with Japan and Indonesia.
The Filipino cagers will face a daunting task–seemingly a Mission Impossible–to gain a berth to the Paris Olympics.
The Philippines is bunched with host and world No. 8 Latvia, and No. 23 Georgia in Group A in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
The 38th-ranked Gilas side must finish in the top two of its group to advance to the crossover semifinals against the top two of Group B, which includes No. 12 Brazil, No. 17 Montenegro, and No. 67 Cameroon.
The winners of the crossover semis will clash for the lone slot to the Olympics.
The OQT will be held through four tourneys to be held simultaneously from July 2 to 7 in the cities of Piraeus, Riga, San Juan, and Valencia.
Dy said whoever will be the new Gilas coach has his work cut out for him.
