Douthit still has a chance to be in final lineup – Chot

MANILA, Philippines – With the inclusion of NBA player Andray Blatche in Gilas Pilipinas' roster for the FIBA World Cup, questions were raised on where Marcus Douthit, the team's other naturalized player, is heading to.

According to FIBA rules, only one naturalized player is allowed in the lineup for the world stage this August in Spain, and that leaves the coaching staff a problem they have to address soon.

Head coach Chot Reyes said that they still haven't made the cut from a 15-man pool and that means even the Brooklyn Nets center is not assured of a spot for the World Cup.

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"It's wide open (lineup). They all know that nobody has a lock spot," said Reyes at the launch of their new jerseys provided by Nike Philippines last June 26.

“It is perfectly alright with them. Everyone is fighting for it (spot in the lineup),” he added.

Many believe that Douthit will be left out in favor of the 27-year-old Blatche.

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“Marcus shouldn't be different on it,” Reyes continued. “He's just a member of the team like anybody else. In the end we will just have to make a choice."

Douthit became a game changer for the national squad since he received his citizenship in 2011.

The 34-year-old center helped Gilas Pilipinas earn a ticket to the World Cup after finishing second in FIBA Asia championship August last year.

Final cut

With barely two months left before the competition, Reyes said that they will use their coming tournaments and practices to know who will join the final 12 lineup.

Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to play in the fifth FIBA Asia Cup this July 11-19 in Wuhan, China, that will serve as a warm-up for them.

The national team will also fly to Miami, Florida for a training camp, before visiting Italy and France for tune-up games.

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“Any kind of competition or tune-up we can get is very very important. No matter how much we practice, if we don't play in an environment with competition it's not gonna help much,” said Reyes.