Douthit part of Smart Gilas ‘Dirty Dozen’

INCHEON – Smart Gilas, which lost World Cup star Andray Blatche, was relieved it had an able replacement in Marcus Douthit whose inclusion as a regular member of the Philippine team was approved without question during yesterday’s managers’ meeting convened by FIBA Asia.

Smart Gilas manager Aboy Castro, who represented the team in the meeting, said Douthit’s inclusion in the 12-man team was not really an issue and his eligibility was, in fact, not on the agenda for deliberation or discussion in the meeting attended by FIBA officials and managers of the 16 basketball teams competing in the Asian Games starting today at the Samsan (Samsung) World Gymnasium.

“The 12-man Gilas team, including Douthit had already been approved in a letter of the Olympic Council of Asia signed by Mr. Farman and was validated during the DRM on Sept. 11,” said Castro. “So there was nothing to deliberate upon.”

That laid to rest all anxieties related to the eligibility of Douthit, who is on the team not as a replacement for Blatche, who was disqualified by Incheon Asian Gamees Organizing Committee (IAGOC) which enforced the three-year eligibility rule for naturalized players.

However, the Philippines still had to iron out some kinks in their participation, like submission of passport and correction of the names and numbers on players’ individual uniforms.

The Philippine secretariat had to gather the passports of the 12 players and the team officials and was due to submit them to the organizing committee at 12 noon yesterday.

“We were not informed that the passports had to be submitted so we didn’t bring them along (for the final accreditation in the meeting) because we were informed beforehand that accreditation cards would suffice,” said Castro. “Anyway, these are merely procedural (technicalities).”

Castro himself saw discrepancies in the numbers assigned to Smart Gilas players and, right after the meeting, made the corrections that will be the official number of every player during the games.

The players will be using the same numbers in the World Cup, with Jimmy Alapag wearing No. 4 as team captain, LA Tenorio No. 5, Jeff Chan No. 6, Jared Dillinger No. 7, Gary David No. 8, Ranidel De Ocampo No. 9, Gabe Norwood No. 10, Marcus Douthit No. 11, JuneMar Fajardo No. 12, Paul Lee Dalistan (instead of merely Lee) No. 13, Japeth Aguilar No. 14 and Marc Pingris No. 15.

“We have resolved the technical aspects (of participation), We are ready,” said Castro.

Castro also ceded his manager’s position to assistant Jong Uichico so he could join coach Chot Reyes and assistant Joshua Reyes on the players’ bench.