4 Gilas players won’t join Europe trip

(UPDATE) AFTER spending four days of training and building team chemistry at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna, a banged-up Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to leave for Estonia on Thursday night.

But Gilas coach Chot Reyes isn’t expecting the entire 20-man national pool to leave Manila as four members of the team are still recovering from various injuries.

TNT veteran gunner Roger Pogoy is still undergoing therapy since fracturing his right pinky in the recent PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, while Calvin Oftana is still nursing a calf injury, which he sustained in last May’s Southeast Asian Games won by Gilas.

Roger Pogoy (No. 16) FIBA PHOTO 

Bobby Ray Parks (wrist) and Jordan Heading (back) also won’t be joining the Gilas squad.

The good news is, PBA stars June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar are already back in harness since suffering from separate injuries a few months back in the PBA season.

He’s expected to join the rest of the Gilas pool in Estonia.

And while the training in Laguna may not be the most ideal considering that several members of the pool are still recovering from injuries, Reyes expects the remaining healthy members of the pool to play their hearts out as they clash with national teams from Estonia, Finland and Latvia.

Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson and young big man Kai Sotto are not expected to join the European trip.

Dwight Ramos, one of several Japan B.League players in the pool, spent at least two days training with the team, since recovering from an ankle injury he sustained while playing in the Japan B.League late last year.

The Europe trip is part of Gilas’ preparations for the 2023 FIBA World Cup where the Philippines opens its group stage game versus the Dominican Republic on August 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.