Greg Slaughter, Marcio Lassiter decline invitation to join Gilas pool. MANILA-Barangay Ginebra San Miguel big man Greg Slaughter and San Miguel Beer wingman Marcio Lassiter announced Friday that they have decided to pass up the chance to join the Gilas Pilipinas national team for the World Cup of Basketball in Spain and the Asian Games in Korea. The seven-foot Ginebra freshman has informed coach Chot Reyes he’s begging off from joining the pool, honestly believing the “Fighting Twelve” that awed the nation last August deserve to represent the country in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. He stressed it’s his personal decision. “We talked to him. Kahit si Mr. Ramon Ang kinausap siya na sumama sa pool. Pero nahihiya siya talaga doon sa mga matagal na sa Gilas,” said SMC top official Robert Non. Among the four players named by Reyes as additions to the pool, Slaughter showed up in Gilas’ first practice last Monday just to inform the national coach of his decision. “I feel that it’s just right that the people who started it all should be the ones to go there (the world meet in Spain),” said Slaughter as he faced mediamen before the Kings’ game against Barako Bull at the Big Dome. “The World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It may not happen again. But those guys worked hard for that,” Slaughter added. A mainstay of the original Gilas Pilipinas squad under coach Rajko Toroman, the Fil-Am behemoth said he knows so well the feeling of the players in the pool. “I had four years of experience there. I know the feeling when new people come in… having that pressure,” said Slaughter, the original backup to naturalized player Marcus Douthit. The former University of Visayas and Ateneo standout stressed, though, that he would be more than willing to play for the future national squads – not the one playing in Spain and in the succeeding Asian Games in Incheon, Korea. Douthit, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Ranidel de Ocampo, Marc Pingris, Gabe Norwood, Jeff Chan, Gary David, Larry Fonacier, LA Tenorio, Jimmy Alapag and Jayson Castro composed the PHL team that gained a ticket to the world joust in the last Asian meet. As a Gilas reserve, Beau Belga is still part of the Gilas pool fighting for spots in the Spain-bound squad. Lassiter, who made his announcement after their game against Meralco, said, “Today, I’d like to inform everybody of my situation with Gilas. To me personally, it was so hard to take away from the players who deserve it, to the guys who actually played there. They’ve been through the battles and the wars and a lot of them deserve it, and I feel like they have some unfinished business in Spain. If I’m in the same position as them and someone will take away my spot, it’ll be hard to give up something that is rightfully theirs, so that’s the reason why I’m withdrawing my name from the pool.” The third-year guard clarified that this is a personal decision, and his mother company, the San Miguel Corporation, never interfered with his judgment. “This isn’t a management decision. This is a personal thing.” “I want to say it on record that SMC does not have any decision on this. This is more of a personal decision. I feel being a part of Gilas 1, I’ve experienced it and I know what it takes. It’s just the time for it wasn’t there,” he added. “It’s a tough decision, but it’s something I had to do. There’s so many great players in the PBA. A lot of great guys, and a lot of great players would love to have this great position. I just don’t want to hold anyone back either.” Lassiter also cites a recurring back injury in this decision to back out of the Gilas pool. “It started in the All-Filipino Cup in my second year. I had a fall, and when I took that fall, it pretty much messed up my back and damaged it. At the time, I really wanted to take time off, but I really wanted to be there for my team. I should’ve taken the conference off, but I played through it. That was my decision – being there for my guys,” he said. “It’s an ongoing process for me. It’s lingering from time to time, and it takes some more time to recover and be 100 percent. But also I know for sure that if I’m not 100 percent, I wouldn’t want to jeopardize the Gilas stint and put the team down. That is also an issue for me. I’ll never stop getting stronger and hopefully regain my health. And when the time comes and I can do it again, I hope I can fully gain my health and try to be the same player that I was.” Lassiter said that he is still open for the opportunity, but wants to assure everyone that by then, he’ll be fully healthy. “If it ever comes down to doing it again, I’ll gladly give my services. It’s just at this point for me, I don’t want to take that away from the players who deserve it.” Slaughter and Lassiter were two of the four new names inserted in the 17-man pool by coach Chot together with Paul Lee and Jared Dillinger.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 07:56:55 +0000
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