Coach Chot Names Gilas 17

REPRESENT JD and Gabe!

Brace yourselves Gilas Pilipinas fans, head coach Chot Reyes has come out with a 17-man pool for the coming FIBA Asia 2013 World Qualifiers. At first look, we’re loving how the core of the 2012 Jones Cup team was brought back together with a bunch of Coach Chot’s system Talk ‘n’ Text players.

This allows continuity and fluidity of Gilas’ preferred “Dribble Drive Motion Offense” as most of the perimeter players already know the nooks and crannies of it. Tenorio did a masterful job the last time out, able to pick his spots outside and get to just about anywhere he pleases inside.

PG L.A. Tenorio/ Jayson Castro/ Jimmy Alapag

The most cerebral floor general in all of Philippine basketball and arguably the best combo guard today take the lead and are expected to carry the fight for Gilas. The Dribble Drive banks on having extremely capable ball handlers and you can’t find anyone better than these two. That, plus they can also play defense with Castro proving to be near NBA level (not as a star/starter, but a rotation player nevertheless. Got beef? Ask Chris Paul. Dalawang beses lang naming harap harapang inagawan). Plus, bleep what you may think. Alapag is still the baddest, most cold-blooded cat (err, mouse) out there.

SG Gary David/ Jeffrei Chan/ Larry Fonacier/ Ryan Reyes

Bengga! Kaboom! Kaching! BANG! Pick your favored catchphrase from anyone of Chiqui Reyes, Boom Gonzales, James Velasquez and our favorite fanboy extraordinaire Magoo Marjon. Shying away from the American-type of scorers who dominate the basketball one-on-one (hello Mark Caguioa), Gilas has shored up with arguably the best clutch guards at the position today (sorry PJ Simon fans, we love him and all, but we wouldn’t take him above the three deadeye shooters on the list. Fourth, yes.) As for our guy Ryan Reyes (Santa Lucia Realtors fans represent!) the spot was well-earned. Not only is he a bruising defender at the guard spot but he is also an exceptional rebounder and corner pocket three point option (this could very well help Gilas in the long run in terms of spreading out the floor).

SF Gabe Norwood/ Jarred Dillinger

Ladies and gentlemen, this position will ultimately decide the fate of Philippine basketball and our World Championship hopes. Skinny as they are, the Top 1 and 2 picks in the 2008 PBA draft are our version of the "LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Carmelo Anthony on the bench" USA 2004 Olympic Team-- you know, that one that settled for bronze because the kids didn't play as much while Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson took turns playing streetball with the world. We all know what happened after that, Team USA rebuilt behind the young guns who are now today's biggest stars and the rest, as they say, is history. Hopefully for Gilas, Norwood plays with the same fire as he did in the 2012 Jones Cup tournament and that Dillinger lets loose. We are banking on the two because not only can they play positions 1 to 3, but they can defend it just as well.

PF Marc Pingris/ Kelly Williams/ Ranidel de Ocampo/ Sonny Thoss

De Ocampo still takes the cake as the country’s premier power forward, backing him up are Williams and Pingris- high energy players who hustle for loose balls and contrary to their poster boy looks and charm, do not shy away from the dirty work. Honestly, we don’t see Pingris getting a lot of minutes versus the elite teams given his size disadvantage (6”4 power forward) unless he is asked to guard the Iranian hot shot whose name escapes us at the moment, El Khatib and Rasheim Wright. Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if Pingris steals the show and wins Gilas a game or two with his rebounding and hustle.

C Marcus Douthit/ Junemar Fajardo/ Greg Slaughter/ Japeth Aguilar

Correct us if we’re wrong but we don’t recall having this big and talented a line-up not since the 1998 Centennial Team bannered by E.J. Feihl, Marlou Aquino and Andy Seigle. Even if you take out Douthit, Fajardo’s skill set is already up there with a young Seigle and his consistency and approach to the game pretty much gobbles up Aquino’s career from 1999 to 2010 (masipag pa si Marlou from 1996 to 1998). Aguilar will have his minutes, but we see him more as this edition’s Jason Ballesteros (serves him right for all the off court drama).

Of course, Coach Chot named 17 guys which he needs to cut down to 12 come FIBA Asia. The five guys who we think should go are: Alapag (the young ones can take it from here Cap), Thoss (Pingris stays because he can guard the 3 spot when needed while Fajardo is a bigger version of Thoss), Aguilar (you wish) and... if we're going with skill then SLOW-ter can go. If we're going with size, then cut Pingris.