Gilas Pilipinas: Cone confident in SEA Games roster in spite of Castro, Pogoy absences

Gilas Pilipinas Men head coach Tim Cone is confident in the depth of the 5×5 national team for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in spite of a few hurdles leading to the competition.

Gilas lost TNT KaTropa members Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy, both to injuries, in their lead up to the SEA Games tournament, but Cone says he not that much worried as far as overall talent and arsenal are concerned.

“We can still put a really good shooting team out there if we want to. And, we’ve still got a lot of versatility in our line-up. Point guards are really strong. So we feel good about where we are,” said Cone per the PBA website.

Cone’s final roster includes LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Troy Rosario, Vic Manuel, Matthew Wright, Kiefer Ravena, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, and June Mar Fajardo.

Only Ross and Manuel are Gilas newcomers, but they definitely do not lack experience as Ross is a multiple-time PBA champion while Manuel has played in the FIBA 3×3 circuit.

Five members of the roster, including Pogoy, won gold in the 2017 SEABA Championship.

With Pogoy out, Cone will have to decide on a replacement by December 3. The replacement will be any among the final cuts Greg Slaughter, Art Dela Cruz, and Scottie Thompson.

Barangay Ginebra playmaker Tenorio is expected to be one of the team’s main leaders alongside Ross.

(PBA Images)