Gilas ramps up SEAG build-up

MANILA,Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas is getting all the help it can get in gearing up for the Southeast Asian Games with the import-laden Alab Pilipinas squad, Ginebra import Justin Brownlee, and former Alaska coach Alex Compton lending a hand to the Nationals.

Alab, the Asean Basketball League powerhouse reinforced by Renaldo Balkman, Adrian Forbes, and Khalif Wyatt, plays Gilas in closed-door tuneup matches on Nov. 4 and 11.

Gilas coach Tim Cone conducted practice Monday with Brownlee adding a warm body for the pool hit by the injury of ace guard Jayson Castro, and Compton coming over to provide the Gilas mentor “a fresh set of eyes.”

After Alab, Cone said the SEAG-bound squad is arranging a practice game with a visiting Taiwanese team with imports on Nov. 18.

“We’re trying to keep our ranks tight. We know that people are out there scouting us,” said Cone in explaining the secretive nature of the tuneups.

“We want to have total focus because our time is so short. We want to have a total focus on coming in, playing and working against the Alab team and not have to worry about playing for the crowd or the media or trying to look good or whatever. We want to come in and do the work.”

Brownlee, a long-time prospect for naturalization, joined the session to fill in for Castro, whom Cone had ruled out of the SEAG due to his calf injury (soleus muscle strain).

“Just want to help them the best way I can. Coach Tim invited me and it was an honor to practice and be around with these guys. Playing in the PBA, playing against them, and now practicing with them, it’s a special moment. It’s a lot of talent. I’m hoping they do well in the SEA Games and get the gold medal,” said Brownlee.

Compton, for his part, was invited to observe and give his inputs.

“I’ll send probably one of the most embarrassing emails I’ll ever send to a guy with 21 championships and say this is what I saw. I’m sorry, I’m still doing Algebra you’re in Calculus but this is what I saw,” said Compton. “I enjoyed being here, anything for Gilas.”

Meanwhile, Cone said Castro won’t make it back in time for the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 SEAG. Per Cone’s conversation with Dr. George Canlas, Castro, optimistically, will be ready to start practice in one month.

“That (one month) is his coming back to practice, not getting back in shape, doing extra rehab, and getting rhythm. Dr. Canlas said, most likely, anywhere between five to six weeks will be his time. And that’s basically too late for us. So sayang,” said Cone, describing Castro’s loss as a huge blow.

 “If we can, we will replace him. We have a couple of guys in mind. I don’t want to say it because I don’t want to get their hopes up. We have, I would say, four players in mind that we would have to select from,” said Cone.