A national pool composed mostly of players from the Philippine Basketball Association will make up the national men’s team for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia this May.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios said many of the players, who are in the B.League in Japan and in the Korean Basketball League won’t be available for the biennial meet.
“Wala tayong overseas players. Hindi kasi FIBA-sanctioned ang SEA Games,” said Barrios during the weekly Power and Play program.
The Gilas men’s squad, which is also getting ready for the FIBA 2023 World Cup, has a big challenge in the SEA Games — to regain the crown it lost last year.
Team Philippines was dethroned by Indonesia last year after 33 years of dominance in the region.
Among the bigs, who are in the 28-man roster submitted by the Philippine Olympic Committee to the organizers include Justin Brownlee, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Mason Francis Amos, Benjamin Phillips III and Ariel John Edu.
They also have Christian Standhardinger, Raymond Almazan, Karl Kevin Quiambao and John Paul Erram.
Among the wingmen are Marcio Lassiter, Brandon Rosser, Calvin John Oftana, Jamie Malonzo, Arvin Tolentino and Jeremiah Gray.
The guard list has the likes of CJ Perez, Chris Ross, Earl Scottie Thompson, Stanley Pringle Jr., Roger Pogoy, Michael Williams, Chris Newsome, Norman Aaron Black and Kevin Louie Alas, together with collegiate standouts Deschon Winston, Jerom Lastimosa and Michael Phillips.