Spencer, Baltazar, decline Gilas Pilipinas participation for FIBA qualifiers

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

University of the Philippines’ (UP) shooting guard James Spencer and De La Salle University’s (DLSU) superstar Justine Baltazar will not see action in the upcoming third window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

During Radyo 5’s Power and Play program with Noli Eala, Chot Reyes confirmed that Spencer begged off from the national team due to a plantar fasciitis injury.

Spencer suffered the injury during Game 1 of the UAAP Season 84 Men’s basketball grand finals against the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles and is now in Australia for his rehabilitation.

“Si James Spencer, nagrerehab siya. He is in Australia. He already said he cannot join his team because he is injured. Plantar fasciitis which he is rehabbing now,” said Reyes.

Spencer was a former member of the Batang Gilas Under-19 team and previously teamed up with Kai Sotto, Dave Ildefonso, Ilonggo Gerry Abadiano, and UP teammate Carl Tamayo.

He was also one of UP’s most consistent three-point shooters during their historic championship season and was responsible for the two dagger treys in both games 1 & 2 against Ateneo.

Meanwhile, Baltazar can no longer commit to the national team in the coming months due to his stint in the Japan B. League.

The crafty forward has already signed with Hiroshima and is set to fly to Japan with his family and will miss the Gilas training camp.

Gilas will be missing Baltazar’s height, athleticism, and scoring prowess in the upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

Baltazar was a crucial piece during the last Gilas batch that went undefeated during the Manama and PHL bubbles where they swept the mighty South Korean team in two games.

With Spencer and Baltazar out of the Gilas pool, newly designated head coach Nenad Vucinic will look to work with only 16 players and is yet to announce if they will look for replacements.