SOUTH Korea’s sudden pullout has altered the preparations of Gilas Pilipinas in the first window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
“Obviously, it throws a monkey wrench in our preparations because we have been preparing for Korea for the past couple of days, for the past week actually. Having said that, we’d like to think that we built this team on versatility,” coach Chot Reyes said in an Instagram Live last Tuesday.
“Agility was one of the very first things we talked about in our very first day of practice and how we really need to be prepared for whatever jobs because what we’ve learned in this environment that we are playing in now is that you can never really know what to expect and this is one such thing,” he added.
Reyes wants his wards to train their sights on the task at hand.
“So right now, the best thing that we can do is stay ready to be prepared and the only thing we can focus on is our own health,” Reyes said.
“That was my message to the players. Let’s focus on the things that we can control right now. That is our preparation, our health, to stay focused, mentally, and also to be emotionally prepared for whatever the schedule is.”
The Filipino cagers clash with India in Group A tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and against New Zealand on Sunday at the same venue.
Gilas was supposed to battle rival South Korea today and next Monday, but the South Koreans opted out of the February window.
Fifteen players make up the pool where Reyes will get his 12-man line-up against the Indians and Tall Blacks.
TNT’s JP Erram, Roger Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Kelly Williams, Kib Montalbo, and Gab Banal entered the Manila bubble at the adjoining Novotel Hotel Manila.
Also part of the pool are NorthPort star Robert Bolick, Japan B.League imports Thirdy Ravena and Dwight Ramos, Juan Gomez de Liaño, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, LeBron Lopez, and naturalized player Ange Kouame.
