Extra help had finally arrived as AJ Edu and Roger Pogoy were already cleared to join Gilas Pilipinas in its preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup that the country will host from 25 August to 10 September.
Edu told Daily Tribune that he is excited to share the court with six-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar and Ange Kouame when he joins the Gilas training for the first time on Thursday evening at the Meralco Gym.
The 6-foot-10 Edu was supposed to join the Gilas camp after his long campaign in the United States and training in Australia.
But he suffered an ankle injury shortly before leaving for Manila, reducing him into a cheerleader during Gilas’ training in Laguna, Estonia and Lithuania.
Now, he was finally cleared and ready to fight for his slot in the final roster that will face countries like Italy, Dominican Republic and Senegal in the group stage of the prestigious 32-nation tourney.
“I’ll be cleared to play,” said Edu, who represented the Gilas youth team in major international tournaments like the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup and the FIBA U18 Asian Championship in 2018.
“I’m excited to be given opportunity to finally join players that I’ve watched from the sidelines like June Mar and Japeth. Just watching them allowed me to learn more about how Philippine basketball is being played.”
‘I’ll be cleared to play.’
Despite being sidelined, Edu didn’t stop preparing mentally as he adopted a sponge-like mentality in absorbing the lessons being imparted by head coach Chot Reyes and his deputies in Tim Cone and Jong Uichico.
But Edu will not be the lone player tipped to join the Gilas side that is being hampered by injuries.
TNT Tropang Giga stalwarts Roger Pogoy and Calvin Oftana are also expected to rejoin the training after suffering separate injuries.
Pogoy suffered a fractured pinky which he experienced during the season-ending Governors’ Cup championship series between TNT and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel a few months ago.
But after a three-month recovery period, Pogoy has been finally cleared to play.
Oftana, for his part, also came from an injury after hurting his calf during Gilas’ first game against Malaysia in the country’s redemption tour in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
He skipped the European training as his wife gave birth to their first baby in Cagayan de Oro, but he intends to rejoin the Gilas workouts as he is a member of the initial 21-man pool list that has been decimated by injuries and player unavailability.
Prior to the restart of the training camp last month, Carl Tamayo, a newly-crowned champion from the Japan B. League playing for the Ryukyu Golden Kings, begged off from participating in the Gilas training because of an injured knee.
Several players were also sidelined by injuries, including Ray Parks (hand injury) and Jordan Heading (undergoing therapy in the United States).
Just recently, Scottie Thompson fractured his right ring finger, which will sideline him from six to eight weeks, while Dwight Ramos had an injured knee while both of them were undergoing training in Lithuania.
