MANILA -- After taking the Monday off, Gilas Pilipinas Men head coach Yeng Guiao finally shed some light on the team's final lineup for the FIBA World Cup.
On Sunday (Aug. 25), the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas named Raymond Almazan, Mark Barroca, Robert Bolick, Paul Lee, CJ Perez, Japeth Aguilar, Andray Blatche, June Mar Fajardo, Gabe Norwood, RR Pogoy, Kiefer Ravena, and Troy Rosario to the "Final 12" of Gilas Men for the said competition that will run from Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China.
"Certain events and circumstances came into play which really made it 'easier'," Guiao said during the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel on Tuesday.
The major factors in the decision for the final roster, as Guiao further said, were the injuries to Marcio Lassiter, Poy Erram, and Matt Wright.
Lassiter and Erram both hurt their knees on separate occasions, while Wright injured his ankle while in the national team training last week.
Lassiter was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain on his medial cruciate ligament, which he got during Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals between San Miguel and NorthPort.
Erram got his own knee injury during Gilas practice too last week, but a magnetic resonance imaging scan showed that there was no major injury on him, who already tore his anterior cruciate ligament twice during his college days at Ateneo.
But with only a few days left before playing Italy in Gilas Men's opening assignment, Guiao opted not to wait for them to become playable again.
"The injuries to Marcio, Poy, and Matt practically decided the outcome of the 12-man lineup," he further said.
However, Guiao revealed that Beau Belga was considered in the final lineup.
"We came to a point that it was between Beau Belga or Raymond Almazan [for the final spot,]" he bared.
However, an injury on Almazan, although it happened during the sixth window the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, led to Guiao picking him over Belga.
"Raymond got injured in the last window. Di siya nakalaro noong (He was not able to play during) last window, so we thought that this is a time for him to be able to experience and play for the World Cup," Guiao explained Almazan's inclusion. (PNA)
