SOURCE: GILAS TRIED SIGNING PARKS, ABANDO, WRIGHT TO FILL SCOTTIE SPOT

DID you know that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas made efforts to bring in former Gilas Pilipinas stars Bobby Ray Parks, Jr., Rhenz Abando, Matthew Wright, and Jordan Heading into the fold?

Sources from inside the SBP camp told SPIN.ph that long before the list of injured players in Tim Cone's strict 12-man roster grew, SBP president Al Panlilio and the national team coach already met to discuss possible additions to the roster.

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

It will be recalled that right after Cone went all-out in supporting his lean and mean pool, Gilas fans already expressed apprehension.

But sources say the SBP was actually already in close communication with the said players - including a few others whom they deemed worthy of a spot in the pool, if and when the need arises.

Now looks like that time, with key players Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, and AJ Edu all on the injury list.

Sources from inside Barangay Ginebra even bared that Thompson’s injury is serious enough that it would make him miss the Gin Kings’ campaign in the fist conference of the looming PBA season.

READ: Big blow for Gilas as Scottie Thompson ruled out of OQT

But how is the availability of Parks, Abando, Wright, and Heading?

Unfortunately, Abando and Heading are already committed to Strong Group Athletics (SGA) for the upcoming Jones Cup in Taiwan, where the team is one of the title contenders.

Parks, meanwhile, has an existing contract with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, also complicating his availability for the July 3 (vs. Latvia) and July 4 (vs. Georgia) national team games.

For his part, Wright has an expired Canadian visa, which will only be renewed on June 28.

Gilas is scheduled to fly out of the country on next week, headed for tuneup matches against the national teams of Turkey on June 25 and then Poland on June 29.

Strong Group ready to lend helping hand

SGA management, however, is open to lending Abando and Heading to the Philippine pool at the expense of its highly-anticipated Jones Cup campaign.

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

"Yes, willing kami ipahiram sina Heading and Abando if need sila ng Gilas. I heard nakausap na nila yung dalawa at nagsabi nga na may commitment. Kung kami yung commitment na yun, with open arms, ipapahiram namin sila sa Gilas," said SGA team manager Jacob Lao.

"Para sa bansa ito, so we need to help out. Need naming mag-sacrifice kasi kailangan sila ng national team. If they need these two players or some other players na nasa team namin, SBP can always make that call," added the son of SGA owner Frank Lao.

"Sabi nga ni dad, basta’t para sa bansa, go agad."

2024-06-22T10:13:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd