WHAT a treat for Gilas fans, as the Gilas Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams open their doors to the public during their practice on September 14 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
In preparation for the 2023 Asian Games, the Gilas teams will have a joint practice, according to Gilas Men’s coach Tim Cone.
“We will share the court and have interactions between both teams,” Cone said in a post on X.
Cone said the general public is welcome to come and observe the training session. Gates will open at 4 p.m.
Cone is the new head coach of Gilas for the Asian Games, taking over from Chot Reyes who decided to “step aside” from coaching the team following its dismal performance in the recently concluded FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Under Cone’s new system, the team has held several practice sessions following the World Cup.
He also brought back veterans from the last team, as well as recognized faces such as Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo.
On the other hand, the Gilas Women under Coach Pat Aquino had an outstanding performance in the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, which was held in Sydney, Australia in July.
For the Asian Games, Gilas veterans Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, and Janine Pontejos will lead the women’s initial lineup, as they did in their previous outing.
The Gilas Men and Women teams have yet to finalize their rosters for the 2023 Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 26 to October 6.
Gilas Youth games
The Gilas Youth U16 Basketball squad is another national squad that is actively preparing for an international competition.
The Gilas Youth traveled to Doha, Qatar in preparation for the FIBA U16 Asian Championship.
According to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the team will play friendly games against Jordan, Qatar, and Australia.
The World Cup may have just ended, but the Philippine national teams are back in action against the rest of the world.
Will the Gilas Men’s Basketball team be able to recover from its poor showing in the World Cup? Will the Gilas Women’s Basketball team maintain its strong performance?
Let us all find out once the 2023 Asian Games commence.
But one thing is certain: Gilas fans will continue to exhibit their unwavering support for the national teams.
#LabanPilipinas #Puso
