Gustong simulan ng maaga ni MVP

MANILA, Philippines — Anim na taon pa mula ngayon ang hosting ng bansa sa FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 pero inutusan na agad ni SBP chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pa-ngilinan ang maagang pag-oorganisa ng Philippine national basketball team na sasabak sa naturang torneo.

Sinabi ng communication tycoon Pangi-linan na importante rin ang magandang performance ng national team sa nasabing world championship na unang ginanap dito sa Pilipinas noong 1978.

Binanggit ni Pangi-linan ang pangalan ng mga batang manlalaro ngayon sa bansa na sina De La Salle star Ricci Rivero, Talk N’ Text ace shooter Roger Pogoy at magkapatid na sina Kei-fer at Thirdy Ravena.

“It’s not going to be Jayson Castro anymore. By 2023, I think the players at that time must be like 26 and 32 years-old. So people like Pogoy, Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Ricci Rivero,” sabi ni Pangi-linan sa press launch kahapon na dinaluhan din nina DFA secretary Alan Peter Cayetano ang Rep. Robbie Puno. “All these players are future stars. They will compose the team when the time comes. We have to start training them now,” aniya.

Tinanggap naman ni Gilas national team head coach Chot Reyes ang hamon ni Pangi-linan na nagsabi ring mabigat ang laban sa World Cup kaya kaila-ngan ang tulong ng Philippine Basketball Association at mga collegiate leagues tulad ng UAAP at NCAA.

“It’s not an easy task. It’s going to be difficult but we  have to seek the help of all stakeholders in basketball, not only the PBA, the commercial leagues, but the UAAP, the college leagues.  We  need to plan a calendar ngayon pa lang,” ayon naman kay Reyes.

Sumang-ayon naman si Reyes sa sinabi ni Pangilinan sa nabanggit na edad ng mga players na dapat isama sa national team.

“It’s not only to develop the players, but also develop the conditions to make the team at its strongest in 2023,”dagdag ni Reyes.

Binanggit rin ni Pa-ngilinan si Kai Sotto na posibleng umabot sa 7’0 feet ang tangkad pagda-ting ng 2023 kung saan 21-anyos na rin ito.

 “Whatever it will be, kailangang we have to sit down with the coaches and the identifying players.  Like chairman MVP said, it’s most likely the players are between 26 and 32 years old in 2023, because they are the ones who are going to be at their peak.”

“But we’re not discounting an exceptional 22 or 23-year-old, pero most probably it’s within that age range,” aniya.