More Bodies Needed: Aguilar and Standhardinger Out for First Window of FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

By the looks of it, incoming Ateneo Blue Eagles rookie Dwight Ramos will have to learn Gilas ways as soon as possible. And so will Isaac Go and the rest of the young big men who are included in the 24-man training pool from which Mark Dickel will form the final 12 who will face Thailand and Indonesia in the upcoming first window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. 

Just a few days after the Philippine basketball has been hit by a piece of bad news when June Mar Fajardo sustained what it looked like a season-ending injury which could eventually mean that the Kraken will miss action for the national team in the next few years, Mark Dickel and the rest of the coaching staff of the national squad are probably scratching their heads off right and asking themselves: "What now?" 

For starters, Japeth Aguilar and Christian Standhardinger won't be suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas for this month's pair of games. 

According to Tab Baldwin, Standhardinger won't be suiting up due to a nagging injury in his left knee and said that the NorthPort Batang Pier big man won't be able to recover in time for the said games. On the other hand, Japeth Aguilar also informed the coaching staff that he won't be playing for the national team, at least for the first window, because he is set to go on an extended honeymoon with his wife.

That leaves Isaac Go, Dwight Ramos, Mike Nieto, Allyn Bulanadi, Troy Rosario, and Marc Pingris as the legitimate big men remaining in the pool. Talent-wise and experience-wise, the absence of both Aguilar and Standhardinger will be a big blow for Gilas considering the fact that they only have a few more weeks to prepare.

While there's always the option to go look for more big men either in the PBA or in the amateur ranks, it will only slow things down and it will create possible chemistry issues among the players and more importantly, time isn't on the side of the national team. The final 12 must come from the remaining 22 guys. And yes, it's likely that Marc Pingris will be included in the final 12. 

Photo is from Bleacher Report