Paglaglag kina Tenorio, Abueva idinepensa ni Baldwin

MANILA, Philippines – Ilang minuto matapos ihayag ang Final 12 para sa Gilas Pilipinas ay inulan si head coach Tab Baldwin ng kritisismo ukol sa paglalaglag kina veteran playmaker LA Tenorio at small forward Calvin Abueva.

Ipinagtanggol ni Baldwin ang pagpili niya kina natura­lized player Andray Blatche, June Mar Fajardo, Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, Ranidel De Ocampo, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pingris, Troy Rosario, Ryan Reyes, Jeff Chan at Bobby Ray Parks Jr.

Ayon kay Baldwin, ang naturang Final 12 ang sa palagay niya ang maaaring magbigay ng magandang laban sa 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualiftying Tournament.

“We selected the team that best competes with the teams that we are going to play against,” wika ni Baldwin sa pagbabalik ng Nationals sa bansa noong Martes ng gabi mula sa isang three-week training camp sa Europe.

“Size was such a big factor in our selection. So it’s not a question of what Calvin didn’t do or what LA didn’t do. It’s more of what type of player they are today,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinasabi ng mga fans sa social media na mas bete­rano sina Tenorio at Abueva kumpara kina Rosario at Parks, naglaro sa nakaraang NBA D-League at isang two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player para sa National University Bulldogs.

Habang maluwag na tinanggap ni Tenorio ang naturang desisyon ni Baldwin ay labis naman itong dinamdam ni Abueva.

Inamin ni Baldwin na ang height disadvantage nina Tenorio (5-foot-9) at Abueva (6’2) sa Manila OQT ang isa sa kanyang pinagbasehan.

“It’s not the best 12 players. It’s not the most valuable 12 players.  It’s the players that we believe match what we need to do in this particular OQT, and size was a big factor. It was a huge factor,” sabi ni Baldwin.

Sa Manila OQT, nakatakda sa Hulyo 5-10 sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City, ay kasama ng Gilas Pilipinas sa Group B ang France at New Zealand, habang nasa Group A naman ang Turkey, Canada at Senegal.