CAN the all-amateur Gilas Pilipinas side get the job done?
That will finally be known next month in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases last Friday green-lighted Clark’s hosting of the final leg of the qualifiers set from June 16 to 20 in a bubble.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said the country’s hosting will be worth the wait.
“The SBP knows that Filipino basketball fans have waited a long time for this, and we’re just as excited as they are to have international basketball in our country again,” Panlilio said in a statement.
“We’re looking forward to hosting our friends from Groups A, B, and C and showing them the kind of hospitality that the Philippines is known for,” he added.
The nationals will square off with rival South Korea on June 16, a reset of their initial match that was postponed in the second window in Manama last November.
Gilas will also collide with Indonesia on June 19, and Korea anew on June 20.
According to the FIBA website, the Group A, B, and C matches will be played at the Angeles University Foundation Gym, which successfully hosted the PBA Philippine Cup bubble last year.
Gilas needs just a win to gain a slot in the FIBA Asia Cup from Aug. 16 to 28 in Indonesia.
Leading the 20-man national team training pool are Ateneo center Ange Kouame, a naturalized player candidate, 2019 Gilas special draftees Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, twins Matt and Mike Nieto, and Jordan Heading, William Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel, and Jaydee Tungcab, who were also tabbed in the Gilas draft last month.
Completing the pool are Justine Baltazar of La Salle, University of the Philippines’ Javi Gomez de Liaño and Carl Tamayo, Kemark Cariño of San Beda University, Far Eastern University’s RJ Abarrientos, and the Blue Eagles’ Dave Ildefonso, Lebron Lopez, SJ Belangel, Jason Credo, and Geo Chiu.
Ateneo’s Dwight Ramos is also part of the pool although he is still in the United States.
Cut were the Eagles’ Chris Koon, Gian Mamuyac, Troy Mallillin, Josh Lazaro, and Kyle Ong.
