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Reyes' initial SG2 wishlist features the core of his Texters, with veterans Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and KKS Doctor Ranidel de Ocampo leading the pack followed by FIBA first timers Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes (wasn't able to play in 2009) and Larry Fonacier. They will be supported by Alaska's Sonny Thoss, Powerade's KKS Bataan Bomber Gary David, Marcio Lassiter and JVee Casio plus old reliable, naturalized center Marcus Douthit. Asi Taulava is also reportedly on the wishlist, but he'll probably be 100 years old by the next FIBA Asia tournament (bless his soul).
Of course, everything's still up in the air and this is just a "wish list" that has been leaked to the media. Things can (and most likely will) still happen but you can't argue with Reyes' selection.
PG Jimmy Alapag/ Jayson Castro/ JVee Casio
Okay, how can you ever argue against this three headed monster at the point? Alapag brings the heart, Castro brings the tenacity and Casio brings the clutch. I have never, in my life as a Pinoy basketball fan, ever felt this secure when it comes to the Philippine team backcourt. The only thing we need to worry about, is convincing old man Jimmy to stop jacking up threes in fastbreak situations like he always does in the PBA.
SG Gary David/ Ryan Reyes/ Larry Fonacier
David is not Mark Caguioa who failed miserably during his FIBA stint and was relegated to resident dirty player/ Ogie Menor circa Shopinas.Com 2012. Caguioa couldn't shoot to save his life, and so did the equally popular James Yap who was just palming the ball and throwing ugly bricks that looked nice and pretty form-wise, but weren't going in. David is a big time scorer AND shooter. He takes a lot of threes because he can make about half of them on a bad shooting night. When he's cold, there's Ryan Reyes' lockdown defense to keep opposing guards (hello Sam Daghles of Jordan) in check. And, as insurance, Larry Fonacier brings David's clutch threes and some of Reyes' gulang defensive tactics to the table.
SF Marcio Lassiter/ Kelly Williams
If Coach Chot slides KW21 down to SF, then we're looking at a big Philippine team. If he's back to playing PF, then Fonacier is most likely to move up from SG to SF. Doesn't matter, as long as Lassiter suits up for the Powerade Tigers in the PBA, then we're good. Why you ask? Well, things are bound to get tricky if that Petron deal pushes through (more on this later).
PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Sonny Thoss
Thoss for the rebound and muscle. KKS Doctor for the scoring. RDO played well during his last FIBA stint, and he's bound to shine some more when defenses are being lured by Marcus Douthit.
C Marcus Douthit/ Asi Taulava
From the looks of things, Douthit is still good for at least two more years. The way he's playing with Air21, even on a bad night he's able to contribute by either rebounding, setting up sturdy screens and or serving as the perpetual team leader who leads by example. Asi will always fight, no matter how badly he was mistreated by some locals during his early years in the PBA when his citizenship was being questioned. Someone give the big guy the Purple Heart he deserves (alongside Alapag).
Can this team be made more potent by a few key players who are missing? Probably. But the guys on the roster are arguably the best in the league right now save for maybe Petron's Arwind Santos and Ginebra's Mark Caguioa. One on one, they are great players, but in a FIBA, zone-defense kind of game, they're style just doesn't work.
Santos does his best work inside the paint as a crash rebounder and stellar, if not, World-class level defensive player. Problem is, he tends to over value himself and starts calling his own number on offense via ill-advised threes. Whatever Santos brings to the table, Lassiter and Williams can make up for.
Caguioa on the other hand, is a great offensive player- no questions there. But he dominates the basketball and is not someone you can rely on as a spot up shooter or even someone who moves well without the rock in his near vicinity. That's why he wasn't as effective in 2009, when opponents started tightening up the defense inside, Caguioa was left standing at the three point line, confused on how he could be more effective and going away from his natural instincts.
You'd argue for other names such as B-Meg's James Yap (much improved under coach Tim Cone but still iffy defensively) and Petron's Alex Cabagnot. It probably came down to an MVP-SMC thing, plus the way Cabagnot's been playing lately, there's no one I'd take off Coach Chot's wishlist at the PG position.
Hopefully, the PBA approves Coach Chot's wish list and their teams release their players ASAP. Say what you want, but this is a brilliant move by Team MVP in keeping their core team together (who have dominated the PBA the last two and a half years) and just adding superstars who can fit their style of play. It's always been the issue with old PBA National Teams- familiarity and cohesion, now, there won't be anymore excuses to offer.
One dream, one country.
Asi Taulava has said that the last FIBA Asia tournament was absolutely his last international tour of duty for the Philippine National Team. I read it on the FIBA website itself.
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