Gilas Pilipinas Basketball News: Naturalized center Andray Blatche submits self to a restricted diet of only soup and salad to get back into perfect shape fast before the FIBA Asia 2015 commences in Changsha China. Obviously out of shape ever since the Estonia tourney, Blatche opted to follow a limited diet after coach Tab Baldwin bid him to forego running drills to avoid injury while losing the pounds.

Blatche is a vital cog for the Philippine Basketball Team since he is a threat both in offense and defense against any basketball rival. If fit enough, Blatche will definitely give tons of headache opposite Asian giants Hamed Haddadi, Yi Jian Lian and Quincy Davis. Blatche’s ability to dribble the ball and drive to the basket can foment early foul woes to Gilas opponents.

“We’re going to starve you. We weren’t going to run him to the ground, he’s gonna get injured,” Baldwin was quoted in a report by Inquirer.net.

The Kiwi coach believed that the 6’11 NBA veteran might be unnecessarily injured if he undergoes strenuous running drills. The good thing that transpired with the advice was that Blatche volunteered himself to a soup and salad restricted diet.

“He had no energy – none – for this Cup. And that’s not because he’s out of shape. That’s because there was nothing going in the fuel tank,” Baldwin added as quoted by Rappler.com.

Blatche was criticized for his somewhat larger appearance and sluggish performance since last August. The former Nets big man promised to be in perfect shape once more, but unfortunate family emergencies halted Andray’s fitness plans.

As a reward for his effort, Blatche reportedly was greenlighted by Baldwin to dine with a hearty lunch before their final MVP Cup game against Taiwan NT. The results proved positive as Andray powered Pilipinas Basketball with 18 monster markers enroute to a 90-77 victory.