By REYNALD MAGALLON
Gilas Pilipinas is set for a pair of friendly games against the Turkey and Poland national teams as part of its preparations for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia in July.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy laid out the pipe line in the next few weeks with the Nationals scheduled to kick off the preparations on June 22 at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
After which the team is scheduled to go on a European trip in Turkey and Poland before going straight to Latvia for the games against powerhouses Latvia and Georgia in the tournament slated July 2 to 7.
“Our camp starts on June 22nd. That’s when we are convening the team again and we are training at the Inspire Sports Academy,” said Dy during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, May 7.
“After which, a few days after lang, we will be playing against the Turkey national team on the 27th of June and then we proceed to Poland who is also hosting us for another friendly game. From Poland we go straight to Latvia for the Olympic qualifiers,” she added.
The pair of tune-up games are seen as crucial steps for the Nationals who are looking to at least familiarize themselves with European play if it wishes to be competitive against Latvia and Georgia, the world’s No. 6 and 23 ranked teams respectively in the world.
“We’re grouped with the host team Latvia and Georgia, both powerhouses, and we’re really looking forward to competing against them,” added Dy.
She also bared that the federation is sticking with the 12-man lineup named by Cone although Gilas has already made some tweaks for the program to adapt to injuries, naming Japeth Aguilar and Mason Amos, who will be joining the team’s preparations, as the reserves.
As it stands, the Nationals are still dealing with injuries with Dwight Ramos still recovering from an orbital fracture he suffered in the B.League while Jamie Malonzo sustained a calf injury. Big man AJ Edu also missed the February window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers due to a knee injury.
Ramos and Edu are likely to make it in time for the OQT while Malonzo remains questionable.
“The program is working. He (Cone) has secured the best talents that we have. In the past, hirap na hirap tayo. Because of these shorter training periods, mas madali mag-commit and because high-level players ang mga ito, mas madali sila mag-pickup,¨added Dy.
