Coach assessing last 2 men in RP caging lineup at SEA Games

Coach Junel Baculi is having a hard time choosing the players who would fill up the final two spots of the Philippine caging lineup, with just two days before competitions start at the Keelapirum Stadium, venue of the basketball matches in the 24th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand. His choices: Chris Tiu, Patrick Cabahug, Jonathan Fernandez, Erick dela Cuesta, and Jeff Chan. "They're all deadly," Baculi said in a statement issued on Wednesday. "Walang kang tulak-kabigin sa limang yan. It's really hard to decide who among them will make the 12-man team." The managers' meeting is scheduled for Thursday where the final line up of all five teams will be submitted. Baculi's dilemma was certainly not the kind of gift he expected on his birthday, which happened to be on Wednesday, December 5. The 15-man RP squad, which is backed by Harbour Centre, arrived in Thailand on Monday and held two practice sessions Wednesday. The nationals will train once more today before they see action against lowly Cambodia on December 7. Unfortunately, only 12 of them will be officially listed and can play with the team. "Every day we'll have an evaluation, but lahat yan dadaan sa proseso. I treated them fairly, so I guess di sila mag-rereklamo kung di sila makakasama as 12-man team ko," Baculi said. Already assured of slots in the team are guards Jason Castro, Gabe Norwood, Boyet Bautista, Eugene Tan, Al Vergara, Beau Belga, Erick Rodriguez, team captain Allan Salangsang, and reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jervy Cruz. "These 10 players have their certain roles in the team," Baculi said. "They will surely make things happen for us. And add two of the five players in the team, and we'll definitely have a very strong unit." After Cambodia, the Filipino cagers next take on Indonesia on December 9, followed by Malaysia on December 11, and host Thailand on Demceber 13, the final day of the single-round robin format. Team officials, led by team manager and Philippine Basketball League (PBL) commissioner Chino Trinidad and assistant Eric Arejola said they were confident the Nationals will bring home the basketball gold again based on the way they saw three of the four teams in scrimmages Wednesday. - GMANews.TV