MANILA (SEABA Championship 2017) - Coach Chot Reyes has booked the Philippine national pool for a closed-door 3-day training camp in Tagaytay City, which is located on the outskirts of Metro Manila, in preparation for their critical campaign in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Championship 2017, which the Philippines will also host.

The training camp will serve to hone, and in some cases reacquaint, the Filipino players' collective understanding of coach Chot's vaunted dribble-drive system, but it will also include activities aimed at having the pool members bond with each other and establish team chemistry.

"It will be three full-day sessions with the usual practice and team-building orientations prepared by coach Chot," said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) official Butch Antonio to local media. "Those injured are excused in the activities with physical requirement."

Twenty five names have been included in the 2017 Gilas Pilipinas pool - all of whom are bona fide PBA players. These include players who saw action in last year's FIBA Asia Challenge: Mac Belo, Ed Daquiaog, MikeTolomia, RR Pogoy, Carl Cruz, Kevin Ferrer, Russel Escoto, Jio Jalalon, Arnold Van Opstal, Von Pessumal and Al Gotladera. Another PBA rookie, Matthew Wright, is also on the list. He played for the Philippine U18 in the FIBA U18 Asia Championship 2008.

Not surprisingly, the pool is also peppered with national team veterans like three-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Paul Lee, Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Terrence Romeo. New to the pool are Raymond Almazan, Art dela Cruz, Bradwyn Guinto, LA Revilla, Norbert Torres and Jonathan Grey. One name a lot of fans want to see make it in the final line-up is Calvin Abueva, who was one of the last cuts in the the Philippine team for the FIBA OQT 2016.

"We expect everyone to attend since we’re in talks with PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) Commissioner Chito Narvasa," Antonio added.

Naturalized player Andray Blatche will be unable to join the pool as he is still committed to playing for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He may, however, fly in to be part of the final roster when the SEABA Championship kicks off in May.

The Philippines will have to win the title in this competition to earn a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 that will be held in Beirut from 10-20 August.

The training camp is from 14-16 March, and the SEABA Championship will be held 12-18 May.

FIBA