Naglabas ang Pilipinas ng sarili nitong bersyon ng “Redeem Team” para sa gaganaping Southeast Asian Games na gagawin sa Cambodia sa Mayo.
Pangungunahan ng Naturalized import na si Justin Brownlee at ang six-time PBA Most Valuable Player na si June Mar Fajardo ang 28 man pool na nilabas ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas para sa 32nd SEA Games.
Makakasama nila Brownlee at Fajardo sa pool ang mga PBA players na sina Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Raymond Almazan, Kevin Alas, Poy Erram, Japeth Aguilar, Jeremiah Gray, Aaron Black, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Christian Stanhardinger, Stanley Pringle, CJ Perez, RR Pogoy, Brandon Rosser, Arvin Tolentino, Chris Ross, at Mikey Williams.
Makakasama din sina Mason Amos, AJ Edu, Jerom Lastimosa, Ben Phillips, Mike Phillips, Kevin Quiambao, at Schonny Winston.
Sa nakaraang SEA Games, nabigo ang bansa na makuha ang gintong medalya sa men’s basketball tournament sa unang pagkakataon mula noong 1989. Dalawang miyembro lamang ng koponan na iyon – sina Fajardo at Pogoy – ang nasa pool para sa edisyong ito.
“That moment is upon us, and we’re not leaving any stone unturned in our overall bid to regain basketball glory in our region,” saad ni SBP president Al Panlilio.
“What we’ve gone through after that fateful day in Hanoi, both the wins and the losses in the various tournaments that followed, are, in effect, geared also toward bringing the SEA Games gold medal back to our shores.” Dagdag pa nito.
