He would easily be a new favorite among Gilas fans.
Justin Brownlee is a go, while June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, and Scottie Thompson are considered shoo-ins. If you ask coach Tim Cone, that’s already four names penciled in for the Gilas Pilipinas squad that will compete in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
It only makes sense, as Brownlee, Thompson, and Aguilar are all talented cagers who will tout chemistry and familiarity as they already play for Coach Tim’s Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Fajardo, meanwhile, is a six-time PBA MVP who has just proven that he belongs in the international game.
As Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and Carl Tamayo are all reporting to their pro clubs in the Japan B.League, the list of the bigs is only getting shorter. Fans cannot help but bring up Justine Baltazar.
The 6-foot-9 big man has a skillset that fits the modern game. Long, agile, versatile. The former De La Salle Green Archer has also been a man among boys in the MPBL.
Don’t fret, Balti believers, Coach Tim and the rest of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, apparently, haven’t forgotten about him.
“We have tried to get Balti forever, he never is available,” Cone told reporters after Thursday’s media availability, where he was announced as Gilas tactician for the Hangzhou Games.
It turned out, Baltazar is sitting at the top of SBP’s wish list. However, it's a one-way love affair, it seems.
“We tried to get him for the World Cup, too. We tried really, really hard to get him for the World Cup. He is one of the guys who we really, really desire but he’s just not available. He has shown us zero interest,” Coach Tim elaborated.
Balti, who currently plays for the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, has played for the flag before, suiting up at the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in 2021 and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2020.
Those seven games, where he averaged 7.5 points and 6.2 boards, were enough for fans to salivate over his potential. A 2021 article on the FIBA website even listed him as one of the players to watch out for.
Unfortunately, he is a no go. And with that, Coach Tim is moving on to other roster options.