Gilas Pilipinas scrambled at the last minute to search for replacement players and was able to find five returning members of the national team program for the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Veteran players Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino and CJ Perez, members of Gilas’ redemption squad in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May, are making their last minute, re-entry to the squad that will be handled by Tim Cone.
The fifth newest member was Kevin Alas, who had to be included to replace a player who just pulled out due to health reasons – Roger Pogoy.
The inclusions of Ross, Lassiter, Tolentino, Perez and Alas came on the heels of the Asian Games organizers to turn down the request of the Philippines to include Calvin Abueva, Jason Perkins, Terrence Romeo and Mo Tautuaa, four players who were actively participating in the training sessions the past week.
Ross, Alas, Tolentino, Perez and Lassiter will join the seven players who had already been training together led by naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Oftana, Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome.
