The Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff is keeping its fingers crossed that Carl Tamayo will secure his US visa ahead of the team's game against Guam in Window 1 of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Carl Tamayo is among the Gilas Pilipinas members dealing with visa issues ahead of the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Guam.
National team head coach Tim Cone bared this last Nov. 16 before the PBA Season 50 Philippine hit pause for the Nationals' campaign.
The Gilas coaching staff, though, is keeping its fingers crossed that Tamayo will secure his US visa in time for the squad's Nov. 28 road game in Guam. The team leaves for the island nation on the 25th.
“Naayos na. May interview siya. Hopefully, umabot,” Gilas assistant coach Richard del Rosario told One Sports during the team’s practice at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna Saturday, Nov. 22.
Del Rosario did not divulge anything more.
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Fresh from South Korea, the Changwon LG Sakers standout in the Korean Basketball League went straight to training camp inside National University-Laguna for the upcoming window set to begin Friday, Nov. 21.
The 6-foot-7 Tamayo completed the Gilas pool that also welcomed key additions in Juan Gomez de Liaño and Quentin Millora-Brown.
Though he only averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in this year’s FIBA Asia Cup, Tamayo is widely seen as one of the cornerstones that will hold the fort for the men’s team, with Japeth Aguilar saying that the upcoming window of the qualifiers could be his swan song.
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Tamayo is looking forward to joining his Gilas brothers in the trenches when the team visits Guam on Nov. 28 and hosts its foes on Dec. 1.
“'Yong kundisyon ko is OK naman kasi ongoing din ang liga (KBL) namin. There are a lot of adjustments for the team, so hopefully, maka-cope ako," Tamayo said.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.