Black wants Douthit to be part of SEAG-bound team

The Philippine men's basketball team to the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia is considering to get Pilipinas-Smart Gilas big man Marcus Douthit to beef up its roster.

This was according to National coach Norman Black, who said the naturalized Filipino could suit up for the team for the biennial meet. "There are talks of Douthit playing for the team."

Douthit has competed in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship last month in Jakarta as part of the Gilas team that won the title. Gilas played against teams which will most likely play in the SEA Games.

Douthit's possible inclusion to the team will definitely boost the Nationals' chances of defending the SEA Games men's basketball crown, which the Filipinos have won since 1991. The Philippines lost one edition when Malaysia defeated them in 1989.

The Philippines didn't won a gold in two more editions but that was because the country was suspended by FIBA when it hosted the 2005 SEA Games and in the 2009 Laos SEA Games since there was no basketball stadium in Vientiane.

Douthit's Gilas teammates - Chris Tiu, Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter - are also part of the national pool, which are composed mostly of top collegiate players.

UAAP Most Valuable Player RR Garcia, San Beda's Garvo Lanete and Rome Dela Rosa, San Sebastian's Calvin Abueva and Pamboy Raymundo, and Filipino-Americans Chris Ellis and Chris Newsome are also members of the national pool.

Black said that to avoid any conflict with their school teams, the national pool will practice every Monday night.

"We concentrate on our offense and defensive system so that by October, they will be used to the system. I'm not worried about their conditioning," said Black.

Reuben Terrado, GMA News