MIAMI (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - There has been a buzz in the Philippines for almost a year, since the national team clinched a place at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Now the intensity for the fans and the players is being turned up a notch with Gilas Pilipinas having launched a training camp in Miami and recently naturalized center Andray Blatche involved in the workouts.

The mood is upbeat and that's despite the loss of Larry Fonacier for the World Cup.

The 1.92m shooting guard, a part of the rotation in last year's side that finished runners-up to Iran at the FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, simply needs rest to recover from a variety of knocks.

Philippines coach Chot Reyes took to both Twitter and Facebook to comment on his withdrawal.

"It is with deep sadness that we have to accept Larry's request to beg off the Gilas pool for the meantime," he said.

"Unknown to many, Larry has been playing through a variety of foot and back injuries that have bothered him the past two years; and it is only his great dedication that has prevented him from taking any time off.

"However, the rigors of playing almost non-stop in the PBA (Philippines Basketball Association) and national team for the past three years has taken its toll, leaving Larry with no recourse but to accede to his doctors orders for complete rest & rehabilitation.

"We will definitely miss Larry's quiet leadership and unyielding heart."

Fonacier's biggest scoring game last year in Manila came in a defeat to Chinese Taipei, when he made five of seven shots from long range and finished with 21 points.

He shot 37 percent from the arc in the tournament.

The sight of Blatche on the floor, however, is giving everyone cause to smile - and that includes Blatche himself.

Using his @drayblatche account, the big man tweeted "very thankful" and he also put a link to his Instagram account, showing a photo of his No. 11 Pilipinas jersey.

Reyes, meanwhile, has enlisted the help of experienced coach Tab Baldwin, who knows international basketball very well, to help the team get ready for games against Argentina, Greece, Senegal, Croatia and Puerto Rico in Sevilla's Group B.

Baldwin famously steered New Zealand to a surprise fourth-place finish at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and has also coached in Asia.

He is serving as a consultant to Gilas.

FIBA