Slaughter tapped as Pogoy’s replacement for Gilas in SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines – "Gregzilla" will be unleashed in the Southeast Asian Games, after all.

This as 7-foot Greg Slaughter earned the nod of Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone and his staff as the replacement for the injured RR Pogoy a day before the Nationals kick off their title-retention bid in the SEAG against Singapore

"It's Greg Slaughter," Cone said when asked who will fill the slot of Pogoy (out with a back injury) in the Final 12.

Slaughter was previously cut from Cone's roster after sustaining a thumb injury last month. But he has since recovered and returned to action for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors' Cup quarters, prompting the Gilas mentor to reconsider him for the vacant spot, alongside fellow Gin Kings Scottie Thompson and Arthur dela Cruz.

Cone had earlier said Slaughter needed to convince him that he's 100 percent and the former Ateneo slotman apparently did that in time for the final day of fielding the lineup during yesterday's team managers' meeting.

This will be Slaughter's return trip to the SEAG, seeking his second gold.

Slaughter having played previously as part of the winning "Sinag" team in 2011 in Jakarta under coach Norman Black.

He will be reunited with 2011 batchmate Kiefer Ravena in this SEAG campaign and will form a dreaded frontline with longtime rival June Mar Fajardo and Ginebra teammate Japeth Aguilar.