WITH the eligibility concerns for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games finally resolved, Norman Black has finalized his Gilas Pilipinas Men’s roster and is now turning his attention to a tightly packed training camp.
As this year’s SEA Games enforce a “passport-only” policy, TNT’s Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser becomes the last addition to Black’s national team lineup, which is now fully set and ready to go.
“He has experience in international competition, particularly in the SEA Games. I requested him, and fortunately, TNT’s management gave me permission to recruit him to the national team,” Black said.
Joining him in Thailand are naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Angelo Kouame; Osaka’s Bobby Ray Parks; and free agents Thirdy Ravena, Matthew Wright, and Remy Martin.
The lineup also features Abra Solid North’s Dave Ildefonso and Jason Brickman, along with UAAP standouts Michael Phillips of La Salle, Kymani Ladi of Ateneo, and Veejay Pre of UP.
As with any national squad in the country’s history, the toughest hurdle lies in preparation—especially since the SEA Games take place during a period when most players remain committed to their respective teams.
“My biggest concern now is preparation—getting everyone together for practice,” Black said. “It’s not going to be easy at this point in the schedule, but I’m confident that as we get closer to the tournament, we’ll be able to hold enough practices to be ready.”
“I estimate we’ll get about 23 days of practice in total. Some days will be twice-a-day sessions, some at Inspire, where we can have the entire team together to build chemistry as quickly as possible,” he went on to say.
Currently, both Ildefonso and Brickman remain tied to Abra, which is aiming for a strong playoff push in the MPBL. Meanwhile, the invited UAAP players can only join early if their teams are eliminated by November 23, with the league season officially wrapping up on December 14.
Parks, for his part, has been granted permission by Osaka to depart Japan only on December 9—the same day the tournament tips off. The rest of the roster, however, is available to participate in the training camp from the very start.
Despite these hurdles, Black stays optimistic that the Philippines can capture its 20th basketball gold in the biennial event, saying that having a weapon like Brownlee in the lineup will make a significant difference.
