By NIKOLE JAVIER
Gilas Pilipinas Women's head coach Pat Aquino is excited to bring new talents into the national team pool including a naturalized player.
After receiving the green light from Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio, the national team tactician is now in search of a naturalized player who can bring the country further into the higher ranking.
Aquino is set to fly this December to the US for a month-long trip and first on his agenda is to meet with Fil-Am Nation Select founder Cris Gopez to see the pool of talents who could be suiting up for the country anytime soon.
“Hopefully, I could find time and talk to coach Cris na makakuha kami ng pwede nating i-naturalized. As of now, nag-go signal na rin si president Al Panlilio and masayang masaya ako doon,” said Aquino.
“I’ll be going around talking to other players like Kayla Padilla, Vanessa de Jesus, there’s one in George Washington, si Aurea Gingras and then, Mai-Loni Henson. I’ll be talking with her.”
In the same way, Aquino is also looking at some collegiate players and acquiring their services to complete the cast of the women’s team.
“I’ve already made a list just kindly check the list coaching staff like Kaycee , invite Tacatac and Lee Sario. Those players were also recruited by me before, but they eventually went to other schools, especially Kaycee. Hopefully, everything for the country naman, not for the school, country,” he concluded.