Blatche sasabak kaagad sa ensayo ng Gilas Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines – Kung masusunod ang plano ay inaasahang duma­ting na sa Pilipinas kagabi si nine-year NBA veteran Andray Blatche.

Ito ang kinumpirma ni Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio sa pagbabalik sa bansa ni Blatche.

Inaasahang darating sa bansa kagabi ang 28-anyos na si Blatche kung nagawa niya ang connecting flight mula sa Miami patungong Atlanta diretso sa Seoul pa­punta sa Manila na nasa kanyang itinerary.

Kung hindi naman ito nasunod ay darating si Blatche sa bansa ngayong gabi.

“Andray’s starting point was Miami but his flight to Atlanta kept getting delayed until it was cancelled,” wika ni Antonio kay Blatche.

“So he had to switch flights to make his connection from Atlanta to Seoul.  He had to get off in Atlanta, where he is now based, to collect some stuff to bring to Manila. So we couldn’t be sure if he could make the original connection. It was either Andray would arrive late Saturday evening or late Sunday evening but we expect him to be at coach Tab’s first official practice (tomorrow),” dagdag pa nito.

Naunang napaulat na pinipigilan si Blatche ng kanyang kontrata sa Chinese league para maglaro sa Gilas.

“We don’t know where that news came from,” sabi ni Antonio. “Andray just laughed it off.  We have a contract with Andray. It’s done. We are committed to each other.  We’ve also been assured by Andray’s US agent (Andy Miller) and business manager Chao Espaldon of East West Private that he’s playing for us at the FIBA Asia Championships in Changsha and the Olympics next year.”

Pumirma kamakailan si Blatche ng three-year, $7.5 million contract sa Xinjiang Flying Tigers sa Chinese league para sa darating na season.

Ang Chinese league ay inilalaro mula Nobyembre hanggang Marso.

Ayon kay Antonio, wala pang pag-uusap ukol sa pagkatawan ni Blatche sa Gilas Pilipinas sa Olympic quali­fying tournament para sa mga wildcards isang buwan bago ang 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

Ang magkakampeon sa 2015 FIBA Asia Championships ang kakatawan sa Asya sa 2016 Rio Olympics.

Ang second at third placers ay iimbitahang maglaro sa Olympic qualifying tournament kasama ang mga fi­nishers mula sa Africa, Europe, Oceania at Americas.

“Our focus is to win the FIBA Asia Championships so we qualify for the Olympics outright,” wika ni Antonio.  “We’re not entertaining notions of playing at the Olympic qualifying tournament for wildcards. We haven’t discussed that possibility with Andray.”