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Gilas begins preparation with high spirits, full attendance

MANILA, Phlippines — Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone admitted that members of the national squad are upbeat as they kick off their 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers preparations on Tuesday at the Blue Eagles gym inside the Ateneo campus.The Philippine team convened for the first time since it last played in August during the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 where the Filipinos placed seventh in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is also showing up for the first time since encountering health issues that prevented him from reinforcing the Meralco Bolts in the ongoing East Asia Super League Season 3 home-and-away tournament.“Everyone I talked to is super excited coming in. Justin just got in town, been here a few days working out,” Cone said.While the American mentor said they will still have to wait for thr arrival of young forwards Carl Tamayo and Kevin Quiambao, who still have to fulfill their team duties in the Korean Basketball League, the energy is high for the rest of the players.“Everybody else is super raring to go,” he added.Even young big man Kai Sotto, who is still recovering from a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on his knee he sustained last January, will show up and will fly with the Gilas team to Guam next week.“Kai is gonna go. He won’t play but he’s gonna attend (practice and watch the game). He wants to support the team. We’re really happy he’s coming,” said a beaming Cone, who guided Gilas to the gold medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2023.With the PBA off to a two-week break to give Cone the full focus to prepare the national team, Gilas players will spend the week reacquainting themselves with the system as they prepare for the away and home games against Guam in the opening window.Gilas, ranked 37th in FIBA, is scheduled to fly out to Guam on Nov. 25, and will face the 81st-ranked squad led by San Miguel Beermen crack guard Jericho Cruz at the Calvo Field House on Nov. 28 to kick off the opening round of their Group A match.Gilas then, returns to Manila to host Guam on Dec. 1 at the Blue Eagle gym.“We’re all chopping in a bit, ready to go, and I know the guys are,” shared the 67-year-old Gilas mentor. “I think we really know how important this Guam series is for us. I think it’s absolutely crucial if we want to make the World Cup.” The Gilas pool expanded to 18 overall after Cone announced on Sunday that Converge rookie guard Juan Gomez De Liano has been added into the mix.The do-it-all FiberXers guard joins former University of the Philippines big man Quentin Millora-Brown, among the new additions, along with Ginebra forward Troy Rosario and sophomore guard RJ Abarrientos.Other members of the national pool include naturalized big man Ange Kouame, Barangay Ginebra mainstays Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, nine-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez of San Miguel Beer, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Jamie Malonzo, TNT three-point specialist Calvin Oftana, as well as Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu.

Richard Dy •
Gilas begins preparation with high spirits, full attendance

MANILA, Phlippines — Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone admitted that members of the national squad are upbeat as they kick off their 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers preparations on Tuesday at the Blue Eagles gym inside the Ateneo campus.The Philippine team convened for the first time since it last played in August during the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 where the Filipinos placed seventh in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is also showing up for the first time since encountering health issues that prevented him from reinforcing the Meralco Bolts in the ongoing East Asia Super League Season 3 home-and-away tournament.“Everyone I talked to is super excited coming in. Justin just got in town, been here a few days working out,” Cone said.While the American mentor said they will still have to wait for thr arrival of young forwards Carl Tamayo and Kevin Quiambao, who still have to fulfill their team duties in the Korean Basketball League, the energy is high for the rest of the players.“Everybody else is super raring to go,” he added.Even young big man Kai Sotto, who is still recovering from a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on his knee he sustained last January, will show up and will fly with the Gilas team to Guam next week.“Kai is gonna go. He won’t play but he’s gonna attend (practice and watch the game). He wants to support the team. We’re really happy he’s coming,” said a beaming Cone, who guided Gilas to the gold medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2023.With the PBA off to a two-week break to give Cone the full focus to prepare the national team, Gilas players will spend the week reacquainting themselves with the system as they prepare for the away and home games against Guam in the opening window.Gilas, ranked 37th in FIBA, is scheduled to fly out to Guam on Nov. 25, and will face the 81st-ranked squad led by San Miguel Beermen crack guard Jericho Cruz at the Calvo Field House on Nov. 28 to kick off the opening round of their Group A match.Gilas then, returns to Manila to host Guam on Dec. 1 at the Blue Eagle gym.“We’re all chopping in a bit, ready to go, and I know the guys are,” shared the 67-year-old Gilas mentor. “I think we really know how important this Guam series is for us. I think it’s absolutely crucial if we want to make the World Cup.” The Gilas pool expanded to 18 overall after Cone announced on Sunday that Converge rookie guard Juan Gomez De Liano has been added into the mix.The do-it-all FiberXers guard joins former University of the Philippines big man Quentin Millora-Brown, among the new additions, along with Ginebra forward Troy Rosario and sophomore guard RJ Abarrientos.Other members of the national pool include naturalized big man Ange Kouame, Barangay Ginebra mainstays Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, nine-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez of San Miguel Beer, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Jamie Malonzo, TNT three-point specialist Calvin Oftana, as well as Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu.

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