Abueva, Perkins status at Gilas up in the air pending SBP appeal to Asiad organizers

Energetic Magnolia forward Calvin Abueva and Phoenix lefty big man Jason Perkins’ status with Gilas Pilipinas are still hanging at the moment pending Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ appeal to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Calvin Abueva FIBA PHOTO 

Gilas interim coach Tim Cone said Abueva and Perkins, who showed up during the national team’s first team practice on Monday morning, are being eyed to replace injured forwards Jamie Malonzo of Barangay Ginebra and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser of NLEX.

The 35-year-old Abueva and Perkins’ names were not included in the 60-man list the SBP submitted to China, the host country during the deadline set two months back.

Cone said they’ve included Ginebra’s explosive Filipino-American guard Stanley Pringle as the 13th player to serve as some sort of an “insurance policy” should the SBP appeal to the organizing committee fail to materialize.

“Stanley is here as an alternate, as a 13th man. He’s an alternate if anything happens, in case Calvin and Perk can’t make it. He’ll be one of the guys that we’ll place in the lineup or in case somebody gets injured as such,” said Cone, in a statement posted at the PBA’s official website.

The American mentor added that the 36-year-old Pringle is the “logical choice” to serve as the alternate player since “he knows the system.”

“He’s the logical choice for us and he’s willing to be here with the idea that he may not make the (final) 12 but at this point, he’s an alternate,” added the PBA’s most decorated coach with 25 titles and counting.

Others who showed up in the team practice held at the Philsports Arena in Pasig include holdovers from the FIBA World Cup led by June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, along with Roger Pogoy.

The last two Gilas cuts during the World Cup Chris Newsome of Meralco and TNT’s Calvin Oftana were also in the team training, along with Terrence Romeo and Moala Tautuaa of San Miguel Beer.

Naturalized players Justine Brownlee and Ange Kouame also showed up in practice.

Gilas is expected to continue training at the Philsports Arena, before moving to the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna over the weekend.