THE youngest men’s basketball team to be assembled in recent years could get the job done in the coming 26th Southeast Asian Games in Pelembang, Indonesia, this November.

This, according to head coach Norman Black, whose 20-player pool is composed mostly of upcoming amateur standouts and bannered by three members of Smart Gilas—Japeth Aguilar, Aldrech Ramos and Greg Slaughter.

“I’m always confident that we can defend the gold medal,” Black told the BusinessMirror on Sunday.

Also in the pool are Justin Chua, Frank Golla, Eman Monfort, Kiefe Ravena and Nico Salva of Ateneo, RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo of Far Eastern University, Ray Parks Jr. of National University, Heric Teng of University of Santo Tomas, Rome de la Rosa, Garvo Lanete and Jake Pascial of San Beda, Calvin Abueva, Ronald Pascual, Pamboy Raymundo and Ian Sanggalang of San Sebastian and Filipino-American Chris Newsome.

The group practices Mondays and Saturdays and training will go full blast after the collegiate season is over in early October.

Basketball was not included in the calendar of events in the 2009 SEA Games in Laos because the country does not have a Fiba-standard basketball arena.

In 2007 in Thailand, the Philippine squad composed of the core of Harbour Centre team in the Philippine Basketball League swept the opposition en route to the gold medal finish. Basketball also took a back seat in 2005 when the Philippines, which hosted the biennial meet, served the suspension handed by Fiba.

Since 1977, the Philippines have won the gold medal in every edition of the biennial meet except in 1989 when Malaysia emerged champion.

Black, whose last national coaching stint was in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games where his Philippine Basketball Association-backed national team finished fourth, said the Smart Gilas members will be the key in their SEAG campaign.

“This team has the size because of Greg, Japeth and Aldrech and we also have speed and quickness. And before you can run, you have to control the rebounds,” said Black. “And I think this team can do that.”

The many-time PBA champion coach noted the program is just starting and there is no definite date when cuts will be made.

“There’s no rush to cut down the pool because I don’t have enough manpower, but we will just concentrate on these 20 guys,” said Black.

“We’re open to that but these guys have been here since February,” said Black.

Chris Tiu has been offered a slot on the team, but the Smart Gilas skipper has yet to announce his decision.

Joel Orellana, Business Mirror