July 2 ------ NBA players and FIBA Basketball World Cup campaigners lead the rosters that Gilas Pilipinas will be facing in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia. Host country Latvia will be led by Rolands Smits, Artus Zagars, and Davis Bertans, while Georgia will be fielding Goga Bitadze and Alexander Mamukelashvili, according to the confirmed rosters released by FIBA.
Gilas will be facing Latvia and Georgia in the group stage of the OQT with a win likely to secure a semifinal berth against either Brazil, Cameron, or Montenegro. Latvia will be playing without newly-crowned NBA champion Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics after he underwent post-season surgery and its World Cup top scorer Andrejs Grazulis but the host country will still be deploying some of their top guns.
Smits, who plays for Anadolu Efes in Turkey, was the second leading scorer behind Grazulis during the World Cup with 13.0 per game, while Zagars, also a Turkish league standout playing for Fenerbahce, had 12.4 points and 7.4 assists during the World Cup. Bertans, who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets in the recently-concluded NBA season, was also part of Latvia’s World Cup team and averaged 12 points and three three-pointers per game.
Completing the Final 12 for Latvia coach Luca Banchi are Rodions Kurucs, Mareks Mejeris, Dairis Bertans, Janis Timma, Arturs Strautins, Janis Strelnieks, Klavs Cavars, Rihards Lomazs, and Kristers Zoriks. Meanwhile, Bitadze and Mamukelashvili were the 1-2 punch of Georgia during the World Cup last year.
Bitadze, who plays for the Orlando Magic, tallied a team-leading 13.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in the World Cup, while Mamukelashvili, an NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs, was second with 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. Georgia, coached by Aleksandar Dzikic, has also included Rati Andronikashvili, Kakhaber Jintcharadze, Duda Sanadze, George Korsantia, Aleksandre Phevadze, Tornike Shengelia, Luka Maziashvili, Joe Thomasson, Giorgi Ochkhikidze, and Ilia Londaridze.
Gilas will go up against Latvia on Wednesday, 7 p.m. (Thursday 12 midnight Philippine time), and Georgia on Thursday, 3:30 p.m. (Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Philippine time).
Source: spin.ph