DUTY called anew.
Gilas Pilipinas players are set to report today at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna and resume training camp for two coming international tournaments.
Ateneo center Ange Kouame, a naturalized player candidate, banners the training pool that also include 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 collegiate standouts Justine Baltazar, Javi Gomez de Liaño, Dave Ildefonso, Kemark Cariño, RJ Abarrientos, and Ateneo players Dwight Ramos, Lebron Lopez, SJ Belangel, Gian Mamuyac, Josh Lazaro, Chris Koon, Geo Chiu, Jason Credo, Troy Mallillin, and Kyle Ong.
Seven-foot-3 Kai Sotto, who recently signed up with Adelaide in the National Basketball League of Australia, is also expected to boost the squad.
Gilas is set to do battle in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in a bubble in Clark from June 16 to 20.
The Philippine five is also training its sights on a Tokyo Games slot in the Olympic qualifying tourney from June 29 to July 4 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Until it was halted due to the sudden spike in COVID-19 infections when the government reverted the National Capital Region and four provinces under the strictest enhanced community quarantine, Gilas was toughing up at the same venue last month.
The nationals will tangle 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 battle 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 clinch a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup from Aug. 16 to 28 in Indonesia.
In the Olympic qualifiers, the Filipino cagers will square off with powerhouse Serbia on June 30 and Dominican Republic on July 1.
