MANILA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) – Filipino fans may finally see something they’ve long been waiting for – a big-man-small-man combo composed of Greg Slaughter and Jayson Castro for the national team.
That’s something that has never happened before, and it certainly didn’t take place in the previous window, where both Greg Slaughter and Jayson Castro watched from the sidelines as the Philippines bowed to Iran and then bounced back against Qatar in the Asian Qualifiers.
However, this time around, both the 7ft (2.13m) Slaughter and the venerated playmaker Castro are determined to answer the call of the national team and help their country inch closer to a berth in next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.
If plans come through, playing against Iran on 30 November will be Slaughter’s first official game at the FIBA Asia senior level. The last time he saw continental hoops action was way back in the Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou. Since then, he has been hobbled by injuries and bad timing, but now he is in better shape and ready to make an impact for Team Pilipinas.
“I want to make sure that I’m 100 percent, so I can play in the next FIBA window,” he said. “I can’t wait to play again for the national team. I was kinda bummed out I wasn’t able to play the last time, but I learned a lot and I’m looking forward to play with the guys.”
Over in the backcourt, Jayson Castro is raring to get back into the action. He will complete his 3-game suspension after the match against Kazakhstan on 30 November and should be ready to don the national team kit anew when the Filipinos have their rematch against rivals Iran on 3 December.
The 32-year-old has been a fixture of the Philippines since debuting at the senior level in 2013, and his experience and leadership will be valuable as coach Yeng Guiao’s unit tries to strengthen their hold on one of the top three spots in Group B.
“For flag and country, I’m always available,” Castro declared.
Should he receive the call to the national team as expected, Castro is excited to play for coach Yeng, since the pair of them hail from the same province of Pampanga. Castro has never played under Guiao before and the prospect of being mentored by one of the country’s most renowned bench tacticians strongly appeals to him.
“I’ve never been handled by coach Yeng so I’d be very happy if that happens,” he said. “I know his system, and he knows me despite not being on the same team in the past. I’m just willing to learn and also share my knowledge of the game.”