Fajardo, Slaughter, Castro may lead Gilas pool

MANILA, Philippines – June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter and Jayson Castro are among PBA stars who will likely be highly considered as coach Tab Baldwin forms soon the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Wuhan, China.

Baldwin is to sit down in a meeting with the SBP nominating and selection committee to formulate the new national team program.

“He’s flying home in January. It’s better if he can lay down something before he leaves,” said PBA board chairman Patrick Gregorio, a member of the SBP special committee chaired by SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas.

Most probably, the group will first form Baldwin’s coaching staff before drawing the training pool.

Baldwin may have practically the same support group that coach Chot Reyes had in his time at the Gilas helm. Jong Uichico could well still be the chief assistant coach.

Baldwin has said he wants the help of the selection committee in selecting players for the pool.

“We’re working together. Nobody wants to sacrifice that togetherness,” he said. “This is a very important process. I don’t want to do this alone.”

PBA commissioner Chito Salud, PBA vice chairman Robert Non and SBP executive director Sonny Barrios are the other members of the committee

Gilas’ road map to the Asian meet will include a stop in Taipei for a return stint in the Jones Cup after a two-year absence.

“ED (executive director) Sonny Barrios has confirmed Gilas’ participation in the Jones Cup, and the organizers have replied, expressing great joy,” said Gregorio.

The relationship between the Filipinos and the Taiwanese soured a bit following the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters off Batanes in 2012.

Jones Cup organizers withdrew their invitation to Gilas Pilipinas in their 2012 event. The following year, Gilas declined the invite and instead put up a training camp in Miami before flying to Europe for the World Cup.

“Gilas Pilipinas is joining the Jones Cup this year upon the instruction of SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan,” said Gregorio.

The Jones Cup is slated Aug. 29 to Sept. 6 followed by the FIBA Asia Championship Sept. 23 to Oct. 3.

In its last Jones Cup stint, Gilas Pilipinas humbled the US team in the final day of the single-round-robin competition to win the championship.