GILAS PILIPINAS LEAVES FOR NEW ZEALAND

Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team is set to leave for New Zealand on Tuesday to play a series of six games for their final tune-up for the 27th FIBA Asia Championship which will be held on August 1-11 in Manila. Only 13 players will join the trip and coincidentally will be the same players that participated in the training camp they had in Lithuania last month.

The 13 players include naturalized player Marcus Douthit, Gary David, LA Tenorio, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood and Larry Fonacier who are all members of the 2012 Jones Cup champion team. To join them are Jayson Castro, Marc Pingris, Junmar Fajardo, Jimmy Alapag, Japeth Aguilar and Beau Belga.

Sonny Thoss, the national team mainstay last year failed to make it because of a medical treatment in China while Greg Slaughter could not abandon his studies in Ateneo. They could become instant replacements if in case any of the big men who were regularly practicing with the team might get injured.

Other members of the national training pool are Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes, Jared Dillinger, Garyo Lanete, RR Garcia, Kevin Alas, Matt Ganuelas, Jake Pascual, and Ronald Pascual. They completed the 24-man roster of the Gilas Pilipinas pool. According to national coach Chot Reyes, the Final 12 will be announced on Thursday.

Former Gilas Pilipinas coach and Serbian national mentor Rajko Toroman was all impressed by the performance of the national team when they played against his Red Bull Barakos whom the nationals humbled, 84-67 last Saturday at the Ynares Center in Pasig. Toroman was all praises for the great players in all positions which Gilas possessed. They shot well, played excellent defense, and were of tremendous sizes that could match up their Asian competitors.

San Mig Coffee and former national coach Tim Cone was also amazed on the intensity, chemistry and togetherness? of the Gilas team. He had attended two practices of Team Pilipinas and called Reyes as a ?great leader? of the team.