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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Uichico: Mixture of amateur and pros 'sufficient' for February qualifiers

Uichico: Mixture of amateur and pros 'sufficient' for February qualifiers

Published Dec 6, 2020 11:38 am
The all-amateur Gilas Pilipinas squad that competed in the Bahrain bubble against Thailand. (Photo from FIBA)

Gilas Pilipinas coach Jong Uichico said that if he could have it his way he would consider forming a mixture of professional and amateur players for Window 3 of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifying tournament next year.

Uichico, who mentored the national team to a 2-0 record in Window 2 of the qualifiers with back-to-back wins against Thailand, said that a mixture would be beneficial to the Gilas Pilipinas program, particularly in developing the young players by giving them proper international exposure.

“A mixture will be sufficient,” said Uichico when he appeared on The Chasedown last Saturday on One PH over Cignal TV.

“Kaya nga may program tayo para ma-fast track yung experience ng mga bata. All PBA maganda naman yun, pero sayang yung Gilas program to give the international experience sa mga bata.

“Madaling kumuha ng mga PBA players, pero saan naman mapupunta yung developmental program ng mga bata (if they are not included),” added Uichico, a former PBA mentor who won a total of nine championships with three different teams.

Uichico is pointing to the experience the young players would have as they try to get to the national team for the 2023 FIBA World Cup the country will co-host with Japan and Indonesia.

“They have a bright future. That is why every window that they can be part of, malaking bagay sa kanila in terms of being ready for the 2023 FIBA World Cup,” said Uichico.

In the two wins against Thailand inside a bubble in Bahrain, Uichico – appointed head coach by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) for Window 2 – called the shots with an all-amateur team.

Led by UP stalwarts Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, and Ateneo’s Dwight Ramos, Isaac Go and Matt Nieto, the Philippines dominated Thailand in the two games with 93-61 victory in the first game and 93-69 in the second game.

The two wins moved the Filipinos on top of Group A with a 4-0 record, ahead of archrival South Korea, which did not join the event due to COVID-19 concerns, at 2-0 while Indonesia sports a 1-2 card and Thailand 0-4.

The qualifying tournament’s Window 3 is set February 18 to 21 2021, and SBP president Al Panlilio has said that they informed FIBA of the country’s willingness to host a bubble tournament.

It is likely for the national team to play Korea twice, including the one game they were supposed to face in Window 2. The other game for the Nationals is against the Indonesians.

That is the reason the PBA, as announced by its chairman Ricky Vargas and commissioner Willie Marcial, has moved the opening of the 46th Season in April for the pros to be available for the national team.

Gilas project director Tab Baldwin is expected to come up with a training pool by January to prepare for the February qualifiers.

The event serves as a qualifying meet for the FIBA Asia Cup, formerly FIBA Asia Championship. The last time the country won the event was in 1985, and was runners up in 2013 and 2015.

Related Tags

2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers Jong Uichico gilas pilipinas Tab Baldwin Willie Marcial
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