NOW comes the hard part for Gilas Pilipinas.
The Filipino cagers, working doubly hard for the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers, will hold twice-a-day practices beginning tonight at the Meralco Gym in Pasig.
“I’m basically going full time with Gilas the whole week because we’re going to do two-a-day practices starting on Tuesday,” Gilas assistant coach Tim Cone said. “We have practice tomorrow night (last night), and another two practices on Wednesday.”
Gilas squares off with Lebanon on Friday and Jordan three days later in the final window of the Asian qualifiers at the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena.
Naturalized Filipino player Justin Brownlee banners the national team training pool along with PBA stars June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer, reigning MVP Scottie Thompson of Ginebra, the Beermen’s CJ Perez, Roger Pogoy of TNT, the Kings’ Japeth Aguilar, Chris Newsome of Meralco, the Tropang Giga’s Calvin Oftana, Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort, Ginebra’s Jamie Malonzo, and the Bolts’ Raymond Almazan.
The other members of the pool are Mason Amos, Schonny Winston, Kevin Quiambao, Francis “LeBron” Lopez, Carl Tamayo, and Jerom Lastimosa and Japan B. League campaigners Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Jordan Heading, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, and naturalized center Ange Kouame.
Sotto (Japan), Tamayo (Japan), Kouame (recovering from malaria), and Aguilar (MCL) have been ruled for the final window, while Pogoy was added to the unavailable players due to a bone bruise on his foot.
