Hontiveros Leave Gilas!

And suddenly, our Olympic qualification dreams seem exactly that. A dream.

With virtually everyone from the current Gilas squad opting to apply for the PBA draft, the program suffered another blow when Dondon Hontiveros, a player who has been practicing with the team for about 6 months now, announced that he was leaving the team.

Sources close to Hontiveros says the player is fatigued from playing in the PBA then in the tuneup tournaments of Gilas.


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Georgetown Hoyas Brawl In China!

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Two Blue Chip Recruits Eyed For Azkals!

A high quality keeper and attacking midfielder. Sounds just like what the doctor ordered.

Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss has identified two Fil-Germans who are all set to join the Azkals' campaign for next year.

Roland Mueller is the goalkeeper of MSV Duisburg, a Bundesliga 2nd Division team while Kevin Ingresso is a 1st Division player from Hamburg.

Weiss also spoke to Fil-Danish Dennis Cagara, who expressed his desire to join the Azkals in 2012.


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JV Casio Joins PBA Draft!

And the Gilas program just basically ended.

JV Casio joins Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, Mac Baracael, Mark Barroca, Dylan Ababou and Jason Ballesteros in this year's PBA draft.

(More on this story here.)

The entry of JV Casio in the PBA Draft means that only two players are sure to return to the Gilas Team: Marcus Douthit and Chris Tiu.

Chris Tiu Stays With Gilas!

Hanga ako sa iyo, Chris Tiu!

Why? Because only 2 players from the Gilas core group of 12 have decided to stick with the team. One of them, Marcus Douthit, simply can't join the PBA.

The other, the aforementioned Chris Tiu, chooses not to.


In an official statement released just moments ago, Chris Tiu declares that he has decided not to join the PBA Draft and wishes, instead, to continue playing for the Philippines.

And though I am a born and bred La Sallian, I give you, Chris Tiu, a standing ovation.

You are truly a Filipino sports hero.

Chris Tiu's official statement here.

Only Five Current Gilas Members To Be Retained?

The waiting game continues as a top SBP official revealed that 5 current Gilas players have been recommended for retention in the program.

The list is practically a no-brainer, as it is comprised of Marcus Douthit, JV Casio, Chris Tiu and Fil-Am Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter.

Lassiter and lutz have both applied for the PBA draft while Casio and Tiu are non-committal. Douthit is not eligible to play as a Filipino in the PBA.

The biggest surprise is the exclusion of slam dunking Japeth Aguilar from the list. Aguilar is actually on loan to Gilas from his mother team, TnT.

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Mighty Mouse Is MVP!

He may be small but he's the most valuable player of all!

Jimmy Alapag trumped the entire league and his much taller rivals as he became only the fifth point guard in PBA history to become the league MVP.

Alapag joins the ranks of Robert Jaworski Jr., Ricky Brown, Johnny Abarrientos and Jay-jay Helterbrand as he also strives to lead Talk N Text to a historic Grand Slam.

Rabeh Al-Hussaini, who just underwent ACL reconstruction on his right knee, was named Rookie Of The Year.

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Will They Stay or Will They Go?

This is the song ringing in the ears of the Gilas faithful as the PBA deadline looms for prospective rookies.

Versatile Fil-Am forwards Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter have both applied for the PBA draft, as well as 2 former MVP's. Dylan Ababou, a former UAAP MVP from UST and Jason Ballesteros, a former MVP from San Sebastian are both voacl about their desire to turn pro, as both have barely made it to the playing floor as part of the national

Gilas Is Best Philippine Team Ever Sent To FIBA-Asia!

So says legendary coach Tim Cone.

Tim Cone is the coach of the multi-titled Alaska Aces and was the coach the last time a Philippine team won the Jones Cup.

This was back in 1998, when the Philippines formed the Centennial team, bannered by Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, Johnny Abarrientos and Vergel Meneses

We've seen this team beat Iran in the Jones Cup and it has proven its worth in several other international tournaments.

What we need now is time to heal, as JV Casio and Chris Lutz are both at sick bay, and time to refine the system, as Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams are set to join the team just 3 weeks before the FIBA Asia Championships start.

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