Who will call the shots and who are new faces in the Gilas squad that will wage war in the coming Hangzhou Asian Games?

These intriguing questions will be answered Thursday, Sept. 7, in a press conference to be held at the PBA Office in Libis, Quezon City. 

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial remained tight-lipped on the composition of the team although there were murmurs that only few from the current team that took part in the ongoing World Cup will be retained. 

But the biggest task for the league as well as the leadership of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is who to pick as coach of the team following the resignation of Chot Reyes due to what he called “brutal” campaign against him following the team’s 1-4 win-loss record. 

The hate has become too heavy and too painful to bear for Reyes and family. On Tuesday, the Philippine Olympic Committee already named the list of the Gilas players it submitted to the Asian Games Organizing Committee but changes are expected to be made in the lineup depending on the new coach. 

Players from the World Cup lineup, Kiefer Ravena, Scottie Thompson, Roger Pogoy, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar and Jamie Malonzo were part of the list although it’s now uncertain whether the crew will be part of the new lineup. Ravena, for one, is already in Japan to rejoin his team Shiga Lakes. 

Naturalized players Ange Kouame and Justin Brownlee along with Gilas’ World Cup reserves Chris Newsome and Calvin Oftana are likely to make the cut. Also questionable is Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser who has yet to see action on the hard court since sustaining a foot injury during Gilas’ campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May.

The Gilas Asiad lineup though is expected to get a boost from PBA teams particularly the ones under the umbrellas of the San Miguel Corporation and the MVP group. 

The bigwigs of the SBP and the PBA actually met on Monday, Sept. 4 to discuss the formation of the national team for the Asian Games.