Gilas thinks twice on Russian invite

MANILA, Philippines — It’s a welcome invitation but SBP president Al Panlilio said the other day the offer for Gilas to play in Russia as a warm-up for this year’s FIBA World Cup will be re-evaluated considering the visit involves a single practice game in a venue eight hours away from Moscow.

The Russian Basketball Federation tendered the invitation which the SBP initially accepted. Panlilio said he brought up the matter to the PBA Board. “Russia’s inviting us actually,” he said. “We’re reassessing our position because it’s only for one game and it’s quite a trip. We’re looking at other options. If it pushes through, we’d like to play a series of games with the Russian national squad and Russian club teams.”

Russia is one of 12 European countries that qualified for the coming World Cup in China. In the FIBA European World Cup Qualifiers, Russia booked a ticket to the main draw with a record of 8-4, winning its last five games. Russia’s three NBA veterans played sparingly in the Qualifiers but are expected to report for duty in China. Orlando Magic’s 7-1 center Timofey Mozgov, 32, averaged 11 points in two games while former Minnesota, Philadelphia, Houston and New York guard 6-6 Alexey Shved, 30, hit at a 19-point clip in two contests. Former Utah and Milwaukee center 6-9 Joel Bolomboy, 25, born in Ukraine to a Congolese father and a Russian mother, shot 15 points in one outing.

Russia is ranked No. 10 in the FIBA world rankings. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia stood as an independent nation and was recognized as a FIBA member in 1992. Russia won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics and silvers at the 1994 and 1998 FIBA World Cup. Former NBA star Andrei Kirilenko is the Russian federation president. In the coming World Cup, Russia is bracketed with Argentina, South Korea and Nigeria in Group B which will play in the first round in Wuhan.

SBP special assistant to the president Ryan Gregorio confirmed that the Russian invitation is under reconsideration. “Grabe tiring for one game,” he said. It will be worth the trip if the invitation covers a series of practice games and interaction with Russian coaches and players. Panlilio said the invitation is being discussed.

Regarding the possible inclusion of Fil-Ams Jordan Clarkson and Remy Martin in the Gilas pool, Panlilio said the SBP is working on it. Gilas head coach Yeng Guiao said with Clarkson and Andray Blatche in the lineup, the team has a fighting chance to advance to the second round in the World Cup. He said Martin, 20, would be welcome to the squad particularly as the Arizona State guard is proud of his Filipino roots. Panlilio said Guiao wants Blatche to be in Manila to start practicing with Gilas in late July. Guiao is expected to name the Gilas pool of 14 before June.

Meanwhile, Gregorio, Gilas team manager Gabby Cui and 2023 FIBA World Cup head of operations Cito Martelino left Manila for Beijing last Saturday on an inspection tour of the facilities for the coming conclave. They were later joined by SBP operations director Butch Antonio in Foshan where Gilas is playing in the first round.

The inspection tour also covers Beijing and Wuhan. If Gilas advances, it will play in the second round in Wuhan. If Gilas is relegated to the classification round, it will play in Beijing. The first stop in the tour was the 19,000-seat Cadillac Arena in Beijing. Gregorio said the team is benchmarking the World Cup preparations.

Martelino said the tour was organized jointly by FIBA and the host Chinese committee for the coming World Cup. “It’s a familiarization tour of the eight cities where the games in the first round will be played, mainly to see the venues and the team hotels,” said Martelino. “I believe all 32 playing countries were invited and our group will join the Beijing, Foshan and Wuhan city tours.”