Gilas veterans support El-Khatibamid Beirut blast

Gilas Pilipinas veterans yesterday expressed their support to Lebanese basketball legend Fadi El-Khatib whose country was devastated by a blast in the country's capital of Beirut on August 4.

Former national team coach Chot Reyes and Jimmy Alapag sent their messages on El-Khatib's Instagram post relating to the explosion, which was reportedly caused by explosives stored in a port and killed at least 100 people and left 4,000 others injured.

“Sending you my prayers brother,” Alapag wrote in the post's comment section. The two basketball players are long-time friends, going back to before Alapag’s FIBA Asia debut in the 2007 edition held in Japan.

“Hoping (and) praying you (and) your family are ok, Fahdi,” said Reyes, who last saw El-Khatib during the classification phase of the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut as Gilas mentor.

Long-time Gilas mainstay Gabe Norwood and Iran player Hamed El-Haddadi also consoled El-Khatib by posting a pray emoji in the comments.

El-Khatib, 40, is regarded as one of the biggest names in Asian basketball. He led his home country Lebanon to the FIBA World Championship in Japan in 2006, while winning four FIBA Asia Champions Cup for Lebanese clubs Sagesse and Al-Riyadi.

He recently faced Mighty Sports Philippines in the Dubai Invitational Tournament with the United Arab Emirates national team, scoring 30 points in an 88-82 loss.

Photo is from Rappler