Life goes on for Estonia-bound Gilas pool

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas is moving on, focusing on what it has got and not delving with those out for various reasons as the national training pool steps up its buildup for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship from September 23-October 3 in Changsha, China.

By Wednesday, the Gilas pool will be in the Baltic republic of Estonia, getting their first taste of real action against Iceland, the Netherlands and the home team starting Thursday.

In the short list of Team Phl are Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Asi Taulava, Terrence Romeo, Aldrech Ramos, Gary David, JC Intal, Gabe Norwood, Sonny Thoss, Dondon Hontiveros, Calvin Abueva, Jimmy Alapag, Troy Rosario, naturalized player Andray Blatche and practice player Moala Tautuaaa.

Due to time and booking constraints, the group was divided into two, taking two different flights to Estonia. Coach Tab Baldwin and assistant coach Alex Compton were with Alapag, Thoss, Rosser, Blatche, Norwood and Tautuaa in a KLM flight at 7:45 p.m. Monday night. Team manager Butch Antonio and players Intal, Romeo, Rosario, Abueva, Hontiveros, De Ocampo, David, Taulava, Castro and Ramos were with the group taking Turkish Airline a little later at 8:50 p.m.

From this roster will come the Last Twelve that will carry the national tri-colors in the Asian meet that serves as the regional qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Stop looking for Junemar Fajardo, Marc Pingris, LA Tenorio, Jeff Chan and Paul Lee.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan has accepted the reality, expressing sadness and at the same time thanking teams that loaned players to the team.

“Sad day for Phil basketball. But thank you to the teams which helped the national cause. Laban Pilipinas. Puso,” Pangilinan posted on his Twitter account Saturday.

Taulava and Alapag, the team’s senior players, said they’re ready to hold the fort with the players included in the roster.

The Gilas pool will be back in Manila on August 25 and, after a brief layover, leaves for Taipei on August 27 for the Jones Cup.