PBA to reinforce depleted Gilas

By Olmin Leyba

THE PBA is up to the task of sending reinforcements to the Gilas Pilipinas squad that returning coach Chot Reyes is forming for the coming International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asian Qualifiers (ACQ) window.

Mr. Reyes has inherited a depleted Gilas pool hit by the unavailability of mainstays playing overseas and asked the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) permission to tap stalwarts from his mother club, TnT, for the Feb. 24-28 window set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Commissioner Willie Marcial, met with Mr. Reyes on Wednesday to discuss his immediate plans, he told The STAR.

Mr. Marcial said he would bring the Gilas mentor’s request to the board of governors for final approval in a special meeting in the next few days.

With this development, the PBA will now be scheduling the Governors’ Cup, which is slated to resume on Feb. 11, in such a way it makes room for the Tropang Giga’s FIBA endeavor.

Meanwhile, Governors’ Cup action will likely continue while TNT-powered Gilas is playing Korea, New Zealand and India in the opening window.

Mr. Reyes returned to the Gilas post only this week and found only eight players in the original pool of former coach Tab Baldwin are available for the fast-approaching games.

“Short-term plan is to put a team together, find a way to assemble a team that can at least be competitive in three weeks’ time,” Mr. Reyes said in The Game on One Sports. “Then we revisit the plans for 2023.”