Here’s
my fearless forecast on who makes the cut, broken down into categories:
THE
SHOO-INS
Andray
Blatche – Of course he’s in. Of all the players, he’s the one truly
indispensable one, thus he’s also the one pick that will never be in question.
Jayson
Castro – Yes, “the Blur” and the current best PG in Asia has certainly earned
the right to be a shoo-in. While there are other capable PGs in the roster,
Castro is at his playing peak and it is evident in how he has been able to
dominate Asian basketball in the last 4 years. Simply said, he’s heads and
shoulders above his competition in this one.
Junemar
Fajardo – Believe it or not, Fajardo is a shoo-in not by virtue of performance
but by virtue or philosophy. We know that Coach Tab has placed immense value in
the presence and skill set of Fajardo. If only for the role he fulfills in
Baldwin’s offensive and defensive schemes, he gets a slot virtually by default
(especially with Greg Slaughter out with injuries, again).
THE
MUST-HAVES
Jeff
Chan – The international game had always been a game for shooters. Our need for
more shooters was painfully evident in Hunan so Jeff Chan becomes our
designated shooter. Had Marcio Lassiter not been ill lately, he could have made
a case for this spot or even made the cut as another shooter on board (God
knows we need all we can get). But for now, the Negros Sniper is our best bet.
