But one thing that they'll be missing is the presence of hardened PBA professionals, despite the fact that they are available to play for Gilas.
Here's a quick look at four PBA players the Gilas team is leaving behind.
Christian Standhardinger - There is basically no way for Kouame to be naturalized in time for the November games and that leaves Gilas with a thin frontline, with only Isaac Go, Justine Balatazar, and Kenmark Carino comfortably manning the PF/C positions. Standhardinger is a heavyweight PBA superstar who averaged 19.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the PBA bubble, despite playing on a baaaad team. But more than that, he's a Gilas vet who starred every time he put on the Gilas jersey, even against a powerhouse team like Iran, where he scored 30 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort. That's a lot of ability being left behind.
Kiefer Ravena - Who doesn't know what Kiefer Ravena brings to the table? Ravena is one of the most bemedaled Filipino basketball players in the league and has won several championships for our country at different levels. In the PBA bubble, Ravena started off a bit rusty, especially with his added bulk (not gonna say weight, its definitely all muscle) but he still managed to average 19.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. He also has his share of Gilas highlights and he would have brought smarts, experience, and the clutch gene into the equation. Tough to not see that on the team.
CJ Perez - CJ Perez has continued his meteoric rise in the PBA, smashing through whatever sophomore walls stood in his way. In the bubble, he averaged 24.3points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.27 assists. Those are MVP caliber numbers, if only Terrafirma was contending for a championship. Perez was also one of two bright spots for Gilas in the recent 2019 FIBA World Championships and we expect he would wreak more havoc against the likes of Thailand and (if ever) South Korea. So again, world-class talent we are leaving behind.
Mac Belo - Mac Belo does not have the same gaudy numbers as the others in this list but this former Gilas captain is slowly recovering his deadly form. A strong slasher with a perfectly serviceable outside jumper and a high basketball IQ, Mac Belo can fill in that Gabe Norwood, glue-guy role that lets the Gilas machine run smoother while still providing his fair share of highlights. Again, a hell of a talent to leave behind.
In conclusion...I get it. It's about the future. And I 100% support the team. But it would be nice to have them there as...insurance.
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