Barangay Ginebra’s flashy forward Jamie Malonzo gets back on the court for the first time since the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup as he shows up for training today with Gilas Pilipinas at the Inspire Academy in Laguna.
Malonzo’s arrival and attendance in Laguna was confirmed by Gilas team manager Butch Antonio as the squad struggles to keep pool members healthy owing to injuries.
It could not be determined if the 6-foot-6 Malonzo is in peak form or has to undergo strength and conditioning to revert to his brand of play since he had been away for months to attend to family matters in the United States.
On Friday, Gilas canceled the scheduled practice to prepare for the training camp in Laguna as the team gets ready to leave for their European sojourn late this month.
On Gilas’ radar screen are games in Lithuania and Estonia, stints the coaching staff feels will be beneficial to the squad’s performance during the 2023 FIBA World Cup in late-August.
A second overall pick in the 2021 Rookie Draft, Malonzo also skipped participation in the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, although he had seen action and proved his worth during the Asian Qualifiers.
Malonzo will arrive in Laguna not finding the usual suspects.
Several players are down with injuries.
In fact, top talent Carl Tamayo had to withdraw because of a knee injury he sustained during his stint with the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the Japan B.League.
AJ Edu, a first-time participant in the Gilas men’s program, couldn’t join the pool in the live drills as he was nursing an ankle sprain he suffered while underdoing training in Brisbane, Australia prior to joining the national pool for the World Cup.
The 6-foot-10 Filipino-Cypriot is eager to represent the country since he last played as an under-18 player a few years ago but is nonetheless hurting.
Fellow big man Poy Erram tweaked his ankle during his mother team, TNT’s preseason game, and joins Edu on the sidelines.
TNT stars Roger Pogoy has yet to show up as he is still around two to three weeks from recuperating from a fractured pinky he incurred in the championship series between the Tropang Giga and the Gin Kings.
Calvin Oftana went back to his hometown Dumaguete to be with his wife, who just gave birth.
Oftana is similarly banged up as he suffered a calf injury during Gilas’ first game in the SEA Games against Malaysia. Whether he’ll make it to the training camp in Laguna or not remains to be seen
- League stars Ray Parks and Jordan Heading are also on the same boat as the rest.
Parks is also complaining of a hand injury while Heading is currently undergoing therapy in the United States, according to Antonio.
Even six-time Philippine Basketball Association champion Justin Brownlee, one of the three naturalized players of Gilas, wasn’t spared as he was placed under health and safety protocols, but is expected to join the camp in Laguna along with Dwight Ramos, who will be back in town on Sunday.
The arrival of Malonzo, Ramos and Brownlee is something Gilas need at the moment given the spate of bad breaks.
During the opening of the Gilas pre-camp, six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and fellow San Miguel Beer star CJ Perez, veteran slotman Japeth Aguilar of Ginebra, Chris Newsome of Meralco, B. League players Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, naturalized player Ange Kouame and Korean Basketball League star Rhenz Abando were the only players actively participating in the live drills.
Naturalized player Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz is expected to report for duty as soon as he finalizes a contract extension with the Jazz.
Same is true with Kai Sotto, who is bidding to shore up his chances of making it in the National Basketball Association by hopping from state-to-state and joining workouts of NBA teams.
The 7-2 Sotto is also joining the NBA Summer League next month.
