Clarkson won't play for Gilas in FIBA Olympic qualifier

MANILA, Philippines – Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan has ruled out Jordan Clarkson’s participation in the coming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) but nonetheless expressed confidence Gilas Pilipinas would have a fighting chance to make the Rio Olympics in August.

Pangilinan is hopeful Team Phl can find a way to rule the Manila OQT at the MOA Arena in Pasay City from July 5-10, and wishes to see the Nationals play Team USA in the quadrennial games.

“I’m always an idealist and pragmatic. To have a chance, we’ve got to focus and stay positive. Conditions must be there to provide the opportunity. We have to send the best team possible, the crowd must be there and the team must be motivated,” said Pangilinan.

As in the last FIBA World Cup and in the most recent FIBA Asia Championship, Team Phl will be composed of stars from the PBA reinforced by naturalized player Andray Blatche. Clarkson, the rising Fil-Am sophomore guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, is out.

“Masalimuot (tricky),” said Pangilinan in describing the route they have to take to get both Blatche and Clarkson in Team Phl for the Manila OQT.

During the last FIBA central board meeting in Geneva last month, Pangilinan said FIBA people themselves suggested Team Phl to just play with Blatche.

“That’s the winning suggestion as the arrangement with Jordan is complicated because he’s an active NBA player. We have to get the approval of himself, his father, his team the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. We have to go through everything and after that, FIBA may clear only one,” said Pangilinan.

“We’re leaning towards Blatche. It’s the simpler situation,” Pangilinan added. “We hope that we see the Blatche of Spain (during the 2014 World Cup) and not the Blatche of Changsha (during the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship).”

SBP executive director Sonny Barrios and SBP deputy executive editor Butch Antonio said Blatche is well advised he’s expected by the whole country to report to the Gilas camp in May in tiptop shape.

“Butch and I met with the lady representing Andray. We couldn’t overemphasize more the need for Andray to come in shape. The message I gave her, God forbids that he comes out of shape, the media will surely make him feel our disappointment,” said Barrios.

“The FIBA did express disappointment he was not in shape in Changsha,” Barrios added.

Fresh from his stint in the Chinese league in 2014, Blatche was a dominant force in the Seville World Cup. The nine-year NBA veteran, however, struggled with extra poundage in the Changsha Asian meet.

The SBP president, SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas, SBP vice president Al Panlilio were among those who graced the media launch of the Manila OQT at the Manila Peninsula in Makati on Tuesday.

Pangilinan said around P200 million is the total cost of the country’s hosting of the event which has drawn global partners in Champion, Japan Airlines, Molten, Tissot, Yanjing Beer and Peak and local partners in Smart Communications, Meralco, PLDT Home Fibr and TV5.

As the official broadcaster of the Manila OQT featuring the Philippines, France, New Zealand, Senegal, Turkey and Canada, TV5 will feed the event to no less than 120 countries around the world.