NATIONAL coach Chot Reyes said Gilas Pilipinas is set to tangle with Mexico in a tune-up match in Manila on Aug. 21 to familiarize the team with how Latin American squads play, convinced it will toughen them up for their game against the Dominican Republic in the FIBA World Cup.
“We have already confirmed a friendly against Mexico dito sa Pilipinas,” Reyes said.
“That should take the place of Latin American style of play na hinahanap natin to prepare us for the Dominican Republic,” he added.
The Filipino cagers launch their bid in the blue-ribbon world cage spectacle the country is co-hosting with Japan and Indonesia against Dominican Republic on Aug. 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue.
Reyes added that Gilas is also requesting a game against another Latin American country in Puerto Rico.
“We have a request to play for Puerto Rico kahit maski mag-stay tayo ng few more days in China,” Reyes said.
“Puerto Rico will be there the following week for another pocket tournament, so we are requesting to play them. Hopefully, mapaunlakan.”
The Philippine five is set to see action in a pocket tournament in China where it will play Lebanon, Iran, and Senegal from Aug. 2 to 6.
Gilas lost its first two tune-up games against Estonia and Finland before traveling to Kaunas, where it won back-to-back matches against the Ukraine Under-20 squad and fell to a Lithuanian selection team.
Aside from the Dominican Republic, Reyes’ charges are bracketed with Italy and Angola in Group A of the Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 tourney.
The nationals need to finish at least in the top two at the end of the group stage to advance to the next round and hopefully boost their bid of becoming the best placed Asian squad to directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
