 |
| Brandon Bates is listed in Gilas' Asian Games "long list". PBA Images (file photo) |
MANILA—Meralco's Brandon Bates and Blackwater's Sedrick Barefield have been included in a "long list" submitted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas via the Philippine Olympic Committee for the Asian Games.
SBP executive director Erika Dy confirmed the development on Tuesday when she addressed the latest on the Gilas Pilipinas teams during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission Media Hall inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
According to Dy, at least 30 players, including the "Core 12" in the road to the FIBA World Cup, are part of the long list, which will be the basis for the final 12-man lineup for the Asian Games.
"We were able to have additional names na mga players na hindi necessarily eligible for FIBA competition as a local. Looking at the long list, nandiyan sina Bates, sina Barefield. May mga ganyan tayong pangalan na makikita na hindi natin usually nakikita sa ating mga window," Dy said.
Bates and Barefield may have a solid chance at making the Final 12 for the Asiad, as Dy also confirmed that Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu are unlikely to join.
Since the quadrennial continental meet is not part of a FIBA window, it is expected that Levanga Hokkaido and the Gunma Crane Thunders will not clear Ramos and Edu, respectively, all the more so that the opening day of the men's 5x5 basketball tournament is on Sept. 10, the same day both teams will finish their two-game preseason series at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
"Conflict na 'yan kaagad sa schedule ng Asian Games, kaya hindi sila makakasama," Dy continued.
Dy also said that Bennie Boatwright is part of the long list, but his availability remains pending as President Bongbong Marcos has yet to sign the San Miguel import's naturalization bill.
"Nasa Malacañang pa (yung bill); it still needs to be signed by the president, or we have to wait until it lapses into law and then manunumpa siya tapos pupunta tayo sa Bureau of Immigration para kumuha ng naturalization certificate. And with that certificate, that’s the only time that we can apply for his passport, but we did enter his name in the long list, so sana po umabot," Dy said.
The Senate already approved the naturalization bill on June 17, but there has been no confirmation regarding Marcos' final decision.
Once Boatwright is cleared, though, he can team up with Justin Brownlee without worrying about the limits for naturalized players, as the Asian Games only has a passport-only eligibility rule, although a three-year residency is also a prerequisite.
.jpg)
.jpg)
