Gilas Pilipinas is facing a big problem ahead of the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers: It appears to have run out of bigs.
From potentially parading a mammoth frontline of the 7-foot-2 Kai Sotto, the 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo, and the 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar, Gilas is facing the prospect of going to battle against Lebanon and Jordan with only The Kraken as its biggest big.
“Our big concern really now is trying to figure out how to compensate for the lack of our two top rim defenders in Japeth and Kai,” Gilas coach Chot Reyes told the media after national team’s latest practice. “Without them, we’ll have a lot of problems defensively.”
Aguilar, who suffered an MCL sprain last week, is reportedly sidelined for at least three weeks. Sotto, on the other hand, has categorically opted out of the sixth window, according to Reyes, leaving Fajardo and Raymond Almazan as the only legitimate bigs left in the pool. Unfortunately for Gilas, even Almazan is doubtful, as the Meralco Bolts are scheduled to play on February 23 and 26—or a day before Gilas takes on Lebanon on the 24th and Jordan on the 27th.
Compounding matters for Gilas is the auspicious absence of 6-foot-7 Carl Tamayo, who is arguably a shoo-in with Aguilar, Sotto, and Almazan all out of the picture.
“Well, he’s supposed to be here, but wala eh,” Reyes said of the multifaceted Tamayo. “I don’t know what his plan is, I don’t know if he’s even going to be available for the sixth window.”
Gilas’ bigs problem has gotten so bad that Reyes has reportedly called up veteran national team member Kelly Williams to shore up that thinning frontline. It might even force Reyes to give 6-foot-7 youngsters Mason Amos and Kevin Quiambao a long hard, hard look—never mind if they are potential liabilities on defense.
“It’s a big blow,” Reyes said of Gilas’ sudden dearth of bigs, “and we’ll have to plan around it.”