By REYNALD MAGALLON
A couple of new faces joined the first Gilas Pilipinas practice held behind closed doors at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City, Monday night, Aug. 15
NLEX stars Kevin Alas and Calvin Oftana along with NorthPort’s Jamie Malonzo were in attendance joining Gilas mainstays Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, and Francis Lopez, together with B.League imports Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos and Ray Parks Jr. in the national team pool training which was facilitated by head coach Chot Reyes.
Also present in the practice session were Gilas deputies Ginebra coach Tim Cone and Josh Reyes.
Also invited to the pool were Magnolia’s Ian Sangalang and Jio Jalalon who both played for the national team in the past. The two were finally cleared to join the Gilas pool after the Hotshots were eliminated by TNT.
More players are also expected to come in and join the team especially once the the semifinals showdown between San Miguel and Meralco concludes on Wednesday.
Bannering Gilas for the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers are 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto and Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. Sotto is arriving on Thursday while Clarkson follows suit the next day.
Gilas will take on FIBA Asia Cup 2022 silver medalist Lebanon on the road in Beirut on Aug. 25 before facing Saudi Arabi at the Mall of Asia Arena on Aug. 29.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director and Spokesperson Sonny Barrios dropped by the first day of training which featured shooting drills with several variations and fast ball movement, with Cone, a two-time grand slam champion coach in the PBA, providing inputs.
