Ni Ernest Hernandez

BUO na ang Gilas Pilipinas at puspusan na ang paghahanda para sa pagsabak sa FIBA Asia Cup at SEA Games. Sa kabila nito, hindi mawaglit sa isipan ng basketball fans ang magiging lakas ng koponan kung mapapasama ang ilang paboritong player.

Hindi maikakaila na maramin ang naghahangad na mapabilang si Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson sa line-up.

May tsansa ba na mapabilang sa Gilas si Thompson?

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Hindi estranghero ang 6-foot-1 sweet shooter dahil naging bahagi siya ng Gilas Cadet noong 2015.

Subalit, ang kasalukuyang regulasyon na nagbibigay ng limitasyon sa pagpapaluwag ng players ng bawat koponan sa PBA ang naging hadlang noon.

Bahagi ng Gilas sina Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter at LA Tenorio. Kung magpapatuloy ang kasalukuyang programa, mahabang proseso ang pagdadaanan ng dating University of Perpetual Help star.

Sa edad na 24, mahaba pa ang paglalagyan ng career ni Thompson.

“Syempre! Willing naman tayo mag-contribute sa country natin,” sambit ni Thompson. “It’s a great opportunity sa ‘kin yun na maging part ng Gilas at baka makatulong.”

“Sa ngayon, hindi ko muna iniisip yun. Dito muna ako sa team ko,” aniya.

Maging si Ginebra import Justin Brownlee ay nagdarasal na makasama si Scottie sa Gilas sa susunod na pagkakataon.

“Scottie when he came in and done for the PBA, I think is incredible for a young player to establish himself like he did in any league,” pahayag ni Brownlee. “I would like to see that too because I think he is one of the best players in the Philippines. He would be perfect for the national team.”

Ngunit, taliwas ang pananaw ni Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. Si Cone ang gumabay sa Philippine Team noong 1998.

“There are a lot of players out there that can help Gilas. You know you can only put 12 guys on the team,” sambit ni Cone. “I remember when I was choosing the team back in the 1998 Centennial team. It was difficult to narrow it down to 12 guys. It was really, really difficult.”

“I left out Jerry Codinera that time. Dindo Pumaren was also hard for me. A lot of talents didn’t make it,” pagbabalik gunita ni Cone.

“My point is if you want Scottie in the national team, who are you going to get rid off? Romeo? Jayson? They play the same position.

There are a lot of guys out there and you got to narrow it down and realize that you cannot get everybody.”