UAAP gunners Lastimosa, Winston ready to heed Gilas call

MANILA, Philippines – Adamson’s Jerom Lastimosa and La Salle’s Schonny Winston could be the next collegiate stalwarts in line for a Gilas Pilipinas call-up soon.

No less than coach Gilas head coach and program director Chot Reyes said inviting the two UAAP standouts is on the horizon albeit his entire coaching staff is yet to reconvene and come up with the official and complete training pool for their next tour of duty.

“We can invite Jerom, Schonny and the others but I’ll have to consider with the coaching staff first,” Reyes told The STAR ahead of Gilas' reassembly in February for the sixth and last window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Talks of Lastimosa and Winston being considered for Gilas training pool at the very least have recently gained public clamor following their impressive campaigns in the UAAP Season 85.

Prior to his calf injury, Filipino-American gunner Winston topped the MVP race behind league-best averages of 21.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists while Lastimosa put up 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists, including an array of heroics to lift Adamson to the Final Four.

Winston, who has been cleared by FIBA as a local player, previously expressed his desire to play for Gilas, while Lastimosa vowed to be ready when his number gets called in the aftermath of Adamson’s Final Four exit at the hands of No. 1 Ateneo, 81-60.

“Yes of course. Kapag kinuha nila ako, siyempre, i-grab ko ang opportunity na yun. Hindi ko hahayaan na mawala ‘yun. Para ‘yun sa bayan natin,” said Lastimosa, who’s still undecided whether to play his last year in the UAAP or go pro.

If the possibility pushes through, Lastimosa and Winston would join UP’s Carl Tamayo, Ateneo’s Ange Kouame and La Salle’s Kevin Quimbao in the growing list of UAAP representatives in Gilas.

Just last month, the UAAP backed Gilas in full swing by taking a two-week break that made the three players available as Gilas swept the fifth window against Jordan and Saudi Arabia in a pair of road games in the Middle East.

Tamayo, who suited up in the FIBA Asia Cup and fourth window, begged off due to a right ankle injury while Kouame and Quiambao played vital roles in Gilas’ big campaign ahead of the last window at the Philippine Arena versus Jordan anew and tormentor Lebanon.