(NI JOSEPH BONIFACIO)

NAGPASALAMAT ang pamunuan ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas kay naturalized player Andray Blatche. Indikasyon ba ito na tapos na ang serbisyo ng dating NBA player sa Philippine national team?

“I’d like to thank Andray. He performed really well in Seville. If not also because of him, we’ll not make it back to this World Cup. You know, he’s a big asset and big factor to our Gilas program for years,” lahad ni Al Panlilio, SBP president.

Sinabi ni Panlilio na ang kapalaran ni Blatche ay nakasalalay sa susunod na magiging head coach ng Gilas Pilipinas.

“We’ll leave it to the coach. As I’ve said, he’s already a naturalized Filipino so we will wait for the new coach,” pahayag pa ni Panlilio.

“But yes, we need to re-assess moving forward but I’d like to thank Andray for all the success he has done for us. At the end of the day, pinakita nya rin ang pusong Pilipino. He has become one with us in this program. Salamat Andray for the commitment and the sacrifices,” dagdag pa ni Panlilio.

Tumapos na ika-32 sa katatapos na FIBA World Cup sa China ang Gilas Pilipinas.

Ang susunod na edition ng World Cup ay gaganapin sa bansa sa 2023.

At dahil wala pa ring napipisil kung sino ang ipapalit kay Yeng Guiao, pag-uusapan sa malapit na hinaharap ang gagawing naturalized player na maaaring ipalit kay Blatche.

“That’s another process that we need to make. Again, I think it really starts with identifying the coach for the 2023. Based on the assesment of the coach, we will start on the process of naturalization. As I’ve said in the past, we really need at least two names, if not 3, put it in the pool para isang proseso nalang for naturalization.”

Dalawang pangalan ang lumutang bilang posibleng maging kapalit ni Blatche – – ito ay sina Brgy. Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee at SMB import Chris McCullough.

Si Blatche, 33, ay naging naturalized player para Gilas Pilipinas noong 2014 at naging bahagi ng kampanya ng bansa sa FIBA World Cup sa Spain at naging sandalan ng koponan sa marami pang international tournaments, kasama na ang 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament at 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers na naging daan ng bansa pabalik sa World Cup.