MANILA, Philippines — Though Gilas Pilipinas’ youth brigade has passed its test in the recent qualifying tilt in Clark, program director Tab Baldwin raised the possibility of tapping reinforcements from the PBA and other overseas leagues for the FIBA Asia Cup proper in August.
“It remains to be seen because we still don’t know the exact content of the team,” Baldwin said in The Game on One Sports.
“I’m sure many of these players, if not all, will carry over into the roster but there’s still the possibility of PBA players, or (US-based) AJ Edu or other players being added,” he said.
Baldwin turned to an all-cadet crew for Gilas’ campaign in the third window of the Asia Cup qualifiers. And the veteran mentor is sticking to the same group as it wages battle in the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Serbia against world power Serbia on Wednesday (early Thursday Manila time) and the Dominican Republic the following day.
With the Continental tourney in Jakarta set Aug. 16-28 yet, the pros and stalwarts based abroad like Thirdy Ravena may be available at that time.
“There still are a lot of moving pieces,” said Baldwin.