Gilas hinihintay pa rin si Fajardo

KUNG matutuloy ang kanilang plano, aalis ang Gilas Pilipinas patungo ng Estonia bukas bilang paghahanda ng koponan para sa 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

At para kay Gilas coach Tab Baldwin malapit na rin niyang mabuo ang mga manlalarong isasama niya sa koponan.

“If we don’t get anybody in by the time we get back from Estonia, to me it’s counter-productive to bring anybody at that point. It’s not a definitive decision, but I’m prepared to put it out now and defend that decision later on. It’s just too late,” sabi ni Baldwin.

Subalit binanggit ng American-New Zealander coach na bukas pa rin ang pinto para sa pagpasok ni June Mar Fajardo sa koponan.

“The exception that I’ll probably make would be June Mar (Fajardo),” ani Baldwin. “I said in the beginning that he should be the centerpiece of this team. We need him, we understand his injury is one of those nagging things that doesn’t have a time table, and because that doesn’t have a time table, I’m not going to put a time table on him.”

Nag-abiso na si Fajardo na hindi siya makakapaglaro sa Gilas bunga ng iniindang injury sa paa bagamat inaabangan pa rin ni Baldwin na ang two-time PBA MVP na ang personal na magsabi na hindi siya maglalaro sa koponan.

“Eventually, we’ll have to say it’s too late, but right now, since it’s an injury situation for him and nothing else, I’d say the door will stay open for him longer than anybody else,” dagdag pa ni Baldwin.

Inamin din ni Baldwin na dahil isang buwan na lang ang nalalabi sa kanilang paghahanda para sa 2015 FIBA Asia Championship nagkukumahog na ang national team para magamay ang gagawin nilang team plays.

Inaasahan naman ni Baldwin na ang pagsasagawa ng overseas training camp sa Europe ay makakatulong sa paghahanda ng koponan.

“These games in Estonia, they might not be very pretty, but the big thing for me is we’re making progress,” sabi pa ni Baldwin. “I know what’s going to happen when they pull their uniforms. They’re going to stretch themselves out and play full steam ahead. We want to be efficient. I know we’re gonna put our hearts into it when it counts, but when we’re putting our hearts into it, a lot of times, our mind is not putting into it.”

“At this stage, we need our mind more than our heart. And that might mean we might not play our best, but I’m okay with that as long as we improve and we grow.”

Isasama ni Baldwin ang 16-man pool, na kinabibilangan nina Jimmy Alapag, Troy Rosario at Moala Tautuaa, sa biyahe nila sa Europe kung saan umaasa siyang magiging maayos ang pagbuo ng koponan.

“They’re progressing, but it’s a long way to go. I’m realistic at where were at where my expectations are,” sabi ni Baldwin.