It goes beyond the Xs and Os.
In the past few weeks, Mondays have been Gilas Pilipinas days. Removed from the weekend grind of the PBA and enjoying days-off from their mother teams, Gilas pool members and coach Chot Reyes have used the proverbial start of the work week for their training ahead of the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
But on Thursday night, the team convened as it welcomed back Gilas cagers who have been balling as pros overseas, like Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos, and Jordan Heading.
That meant some pool members—like Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and Meralco’s Raymond Almazan—were in attendance but opted to stay in street clothes as a way of preservation ahead of their PBA games on Friday. Call it load management if you will.
Aside from strategizing with Xs and Os and ensuring team chemistry, juggling the availability of players have also taken precedence in the job descriptions of the Gilas coaching staff.
The staff doesn’t just take schedules into account, but also players’ health. The reigning PBA MVP thinks they’re doing a good job so far.
“’Yung pag-manage nila sa restriction sa practice and ‘yung mga key players, may mga injury and ‘yun may mga nararamdaman. So far, maganda naman ‘yun takbo, Well-managed naman kami,” Thompson told News5 correspondent Martie Bautista.
It’s a tall task that has little margin for error because Gilas needs its players to be in optimum health, especially after losing key cogs like Japeth Aguilar and Kai Sotto.
“I think for us talaga coming to this window kailangan lang maging healthy ang lahat,” Thompson added.
Despite these adjustments, hiccups will be unavoidable. Gilas actually still missed one more player, Ray Parks, even after plotting that Thursday practice. Reyes said the Nagoya Diamond Dolphin is arriving on Saturday.
Even then, Reyes is unsure if Parks will make it on time for Saturday’s practice. Expect Coach Chot and his staff to play with the cards they’re dealt, and make the most out of it.
Just another day in the office for the national team.