The Challenge

Big Mac attack
(Photo credit: philstar.com)

Just when our FIBA ranking went a spot higher (from world-ranked number 28 to 27), here we are shooting ourselves in the foot by not sending our best players (be it in the pros or the amateurs) to an international meet.

Ang kulit naman, oo.

An entirely new set of players will be donning Gilas Pilipinas jerseys in the FIBA Asia Challenge Cup in Tehran, Iran on September 9 to 18. While some are proud alumni of the Gilas Cadets squad, the Gilas 5 team is missing quite a lot: naturalized center Andray Blatche, proven PBA veteran stars, amateur standouts Bobby Parks Jr. and Kiefer Ravena, and more importantly—head coach Tab Baldwin.