BALIK ‘bubble training’ kahapon ang Gilas Pilipinas sa Calamba, Laguna upang ipagpatuloy ang paghahanda para sa mga FIBA competitions.
“The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas heeded the instructions of the Philippine Sports Commission when they asked all national athletes to halt their training during the Enhanced Community Quarantine. When the IATF announced that they will be lifting those limitations, we immediately worked on getting the team back together,” pahayag ni SBP President Al Panlilio. “Of course there were protocols that we had to complete including the testing for all the members of the pool but the team’s ready to go back to work.”
Inihinto ang pagsasanay ng national training pool bago ang Mahal na Araw matapos ipailalim ang buong NCR sampu ng ilang karatog probinsiya kabilang na ang Laguna sa Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Kabilang sa mga lalahok sa bubble training sina 2019 PBA Special Gilas Draft picks na sina Matt Nieto, Mike Nieto, Isaac Go at Rey Suerte at Season 46 special draftees Jordan Heading, William Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel at JD Tungcab.
Inimbita rin para bumalik sa bubble training sina Kemark Carino, Javi Gomez de Liaño, Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, Justine Baltazar, Jason Credo, Geo Chiu, Lebron Lopez at naturalization candidate Ange Koame.
Inaasahan ding susunod sa training camp si Dwight Ramos pagdating nito galing US gayundin si Kai Sotto na kamakailan lamang ay pumirma para maglaro sa Adelaide 36ers sa NBL.
Paghahandaan ng Gilas sa training bubble ang dalawang paparating na FIBA tournaments, una ang FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers sa Hunyo 16 – 20 sa Clark, Pampanga at ang FIBA Olympic Qualifier sa Hunyo 29-Hulyo 4 na idaraos sa Belgrade,Serbia.
Magsasanay ang national pool sa ilalim nina Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Team Program Director Tab Baldwin, head coach Jong Uichico at mga deputies na sina Sandy Arespacochaga, Boyet Fernandez, Caloy Garcia, Alton Lister, Sandro Soriano at trainer Dex Aseron.
“We appreciate everyone’s eagerness to rejoin the bubble and we’re hopeful that the team will get to pick up where they left things off before they broke camp,” dagdag pa ni Panlilio. “The FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the OQT are fast approaching and, although the postponements have been tough on everyone, we remain confident that this training pool will put in the work necessary to perform at their best.” Marivic Awitan
