Justin or Jordan: Chot still undecided

Justin Brownlee (left) and Jordan Clarkson FIBA PHOTOS 

AS Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes starts mapping a game plan on the Philippines’ campaign in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the national mentor said a decision has not been reached on who to tap as the team’s naturalized player.

Will it be Justin Brownlee or NBA star Jordan Clarkson?

“We still have not made that decision because when I say nobody is locked on the slot, it’s is a real honest statement. Not even Justin or Jordan,” Reyes told One News’ The Big Story in an interview on Thursday.

Reyes said there will be a lot of factors to consider for the choice of reinforcement.

“It’s not just going to be skills, but also their own personal schedules, (and) economics is also going to be an issue, so there will be a lot of things that’s going to be involved in the final determination,” he added.

The 30-year-old Clarkson reinforced Gilas during the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers’ fourth window in August last year. The Philippines split its two-game series as Gilas bowed to the Wael Arakji-led Lebanon and defeated Saudi Arabia at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Brownlee, then suited up as the team’s naturalized player in the sixth and final window last February, beating Lebanon, before dropping a narrow 90-91 decision to Jordan. Both games were played at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The subject on who could best help Gilas in the FIBA World Cup, which the country is co-hosting starting in late August, was due to Brownlee’s impressive performance, particularly leading Gilas past Indonesia 84-76 in the Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball semifinal game.

That game saw Brownlee lifting Gilas from an 11-point deficit as he scattered 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals en route to the vengeful win against the Philippines’ tormentor from last year’s Hanoi Games.

Brownlee then helped Gilas complete its gold medal redemption mission after leading the national team to an 80-69 triumph over host Cambodia to bring the men’s basketball title back to the country.

Reyes also said other than deciding who will be the team’s naturalized player, the coaching staff is still discussing who among the players will compose the training pool and, eventually, the final 12 for the FIBA World Cup.

“One big obstacle we always wrestled with in the past is the schedule of games, whether in the PBA, Japan or Korea, or every other tournament in the world,” said the many-time Gilas mentor. “But that obstacle will be cleared now because every other tournament in the world is going to pause to make way for the World Cup so that’s one major issue that’s out.”

Reyes said the pool of players will be part of the training camp in Lithuania as mentioned in a previous interview.

“Now it’s a matter of the coaching staff sitting down and really figuring out [who will be the players]. And I don’t want to preempt the coaching staff, but we’re thinking of 16 to 18 players to make the final pool from which we will choose to get the final 12,” he said.

The Gilas pool will also play several tuneup matches abroad, and from there, Reyes said they will have a clearer picture on who would make the final cut.

Gilas opens the FIBA World Cup versus the Dominican Republic on August 25 at the Philippine Arena.

The national squad’s next two World Cup matches will both be played at the Big Dome, starting with Angola on August 27, followed by Italy two days later.