Gilas Pilipinas gets well-deserved break after Asiad

(UPDATE) MEMBERS of the victorious Gilas Pilipinas from the Asian Games men’s basketball are assured of at least a 10-day break from their respective PBA mother squads.

Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua gave that assurance to players, so as to give them enough time to rest following their Asian Games grind that yielded the coveted gold medal after 61 years of futility.

“Remember, [the] majority from that (Gilas) team played in the World Cup, so they didn’t have time to rest,” Chua said in Filipino during last Monday’s (October 9) press conference held at the PBA office.

“I told the players, I’ll personally talk to their mother teams so you can get 10 days of vacation,” he added.

Gilas captured the Asiad basketball gold after subduing Jordan, 70-60, in the finals last week in Hangzhou, China.

At least 11 players from the Gilas squad are expected to head to their much-deserved break, led by naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who, along with national coach Tim Cone, left for the United States on Monday.

Other players from Gilas include Ginebra’s do-it-all guard Scottie Thompson and veteran big man Japeth Aguilar, San Miguel Beer wingman CJ Perez, guards Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross, as well as star center June Mar Fajardo, Meralco’s Chris Newsome, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort, as well as NLEX’s Kevin Alas and TNT’s Calvin Oftana.

Big man Ange Kouame, Gilas’ second naturalized player, meantime, is slated to head overseas after recently signing a deal with UB Chartres Metropole in France’s pro league.

The PBA Season 48 is scheduled to open on November 5 with Barangay Ginebra set to defend its Commissioner’s Cup title.