Four Fil-fors’ fate hangs in balance

SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson
The Philippine Star
Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Coach Junel Baculi said yesterday he’s not sure if slots will be available on the national team for the four Fil-foreigners trying out to represent the country at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok this December.

But Baculi left the door open for the hopefuls, saying nobody is guaranteed a ticket until the pool is finalized at the end of the UAAP and NCAA seasons.

Baculi said what will separate the men from the boys is talent.

“It’s all about pagalingan,” remarked Baculi during a break in the three-hour practice and tryouts at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. “Let’s see who will be left standing. We’ve got a lot of guards trying out. What we lack are big men.”

Balance is key in the composition of the team. Once the positions are filled up, Baculi will work on each player’s role, chemistry and teamwork.

Team manager Erick Arejola said experience is also a determining factor, pointing to the advantage of former pros Allan Salangsang, Boyet Bautista and Ato Morano and veteran Eugene Tan.

In yesterday’s practice, Morano was absent, leaving Josh Urbiztondo, Chad Alonzo, Kevin Delafu, Kevyn White, Amir Mazarei, Nestor David, Richard Cole, Salangsang, Tan, Jeff Chan, Beau Belga, Jason Castro, Eric de la Cuesta, Jerwin Gaco, Lawrence Bonus, Bautista and Paolo Obra to sweat it out on the floor. Supervising the workouts were Baculi, Ryan Dy and Louie Alas.

Of the players trying out, 11 were on the Harbour Centre-Philippine squad that took fifth place in the six-team Sultan’s Cup in Brunei last week.

Arejola said four of the six teams played with imports. The exceptions were Harbour Centre and last-placer Jordan.

“We didn’t recruit imports because that would’ve defeated the purpose of our participation,” explained Arejola. “We wanted to test our players.” The LG Sakers of South Korea won the title with the PBA’s Sta. Lucia Realty finishing second. The Singapore Slingers, made up of seven Australians, two imports and three Singaporeans, took third and the Darwin All-Stars, fourth.

Arejola said he’s now looking for an overseas tournament where the team could play in a tune-up for the SEA Games.

Baculi said he’ll trim the training roster in late October or early November. Expected to show up for tryouts after the UAAP and NCAA end their seasons are San Beda College’s Pong Escobal, Adamson’s Patrick Cabahug, National University’s Jonathan Fernandez, La Salle’s Rico Maierhofer, University of Santo Tomas’ Jervy Cruz and Ateneo’s Ford Arao.

Arejola said he was impressed by the Fil-foreigners who are all walk-in applicants.

“Amir’s a shooter and he’s quick,” said Arejola. “He has good basketball sense and knows how to use picks. Delafu’s a deadshot who has more size than Amir. Cole is like Tayshaun Prince with long arms and plays tough defense. He played with Ryan Reyes on the LA Showtime team. White is Jimmy Alapag’s nephew so if basketball’s in his blood, he must be good, too.”

White, 24, is on his second Manila visit like Mazarei. In 2004, White was brought by Alapag to train with the Talk ’N’ Text squad for over a month. He flew in two days ago from Los Angeles. His mother Elizabeth is Alapag’s older sister.

Mazarei’s agent Roger Jimenez, a Los Angeles-based Filipino, said the University of Redlands guard will join the PBL draft on Sept. 28. Mazarei, a Fil-Iranian, arrived Saturday from Los Angeles with his Fiipina mother Erlinda Javier.

Arejola said in Brunei, Castro and Belga were the team’s most consistent performers. “Jason took over games by himself and Beau was a factor under the boards with his height and bulk,” said Arejola. “Chad also contributed a lot as a power forward.”

In the last SEA Games here two years ago, basketball was scrapped from the schedule because of the Philippines’ suspension by FIBA. But the sport is back in the SEA Games calendar and Arejola said Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero is determined to win the gold for the country.