Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin said the timetable for players like those in the PBA to get acclimated to his system in the event they can reinforce the team in future competitions varies from player to player.
Baldwin explained during the program Power and Play that certain PBA cagers who are already exposed to the Gilas system will be able to catch up in no time as compared to other prospective players who will need perhaps a lengthier period.
“I don't think we can continue to fool around with this notion,” Baldwin told host Noli Eala. “I think that we have to be very, very honest, and we have to be specific if we're going to do what's right for the program.
“So to answer that question — it sounds like I'm almost gonna contradict myself but I'll tell you why — the amount of time is indeterminate. Because if we're talking about somebody like Thirdy Ravena, he already knows most of the system. If we're talking about somebody like Roger Pogoy, CJ Perez who were in the system last year and spent time with us, they know much of the system, they know the defensive principles.”
The three players were part of the Gilas team that beat Indonesia, 100-70, in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Jakarta last Feb. 2020 while Pogoy and Perez were supposed to play in the final phase of the same event until it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If you're talking about somebody like Matthew Wright who I love, and he would love to be in the program from the discussions we've had, he needs to be in longer,” Baldwin continued. “It's nothing personal against Matthew, it doesn't have anything to do with where he comes from.
“If we're talking about Dalph Panopio (former Gilas Youth player who is based in Italy), same thing. They're gonna need to spend more time in there because they have more to learn. I can tell you that it isn't a week or 10 days, I can tell you it's a lot longer than that.
“But I can also tell you that Thirdy or Roger Pogoy or CJ Perez might be able to come in in a week, and consume everything. But again, it comes down to the individual, maybe not, maybe they just don't learn quickly, either.
“So it's impossible to answer that question. The safe answer is a long time. That's the safe answer. What does a long time mean? A month. That's what a long time means,” Baldwin added.
Baldwin’s point came after he said in a recent interview that PBA players are open to be part of the Gilas pool as long as they can be fully committed to the program.
PBA players were absent during the recent competition like the Asia Cup Qualifiers and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, prompting debate from fans if they are still needed or not.
Other PBA cagers who have a familiarity with Baldwin’s system in recent years are Kiefer Ravena, Troy Rosario, Justin Chua, Poy Erram and Raul Soyud.