PIECE BY PIECE, the Gilas Pilipinas are gradually strengthening their squad as Japan B.League stalwarts Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu are back in the Philippines to prepare for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
The Philippine national team is gradually building up its speed as the last round of qualifiers approaches, especially now that the series of friendlies in their Doha tour is just a few days away.
The Filipinos will be relatively short handed for the next two qualifying games due to the absence of Kai Sotto, who is already performing well alongside the rest of the Gilas group under head coach Tim Cone’s system.
Gearing Up
Following the absence of Sotto, the tall replacement, Edu, along with solid combo guard Ramos, is expected to improve the national team’s rather banged up lineup.
“Dadating na si AJ Edu, dadating na si Ramos, pero ‘yung iba dederetso na ng Doha,” said Gilas team manager Alfrancis Chua on Monday during the PBA’s launch of its 50th-anniversary logo in Mandaluyong.
Meanwhile, several Gilas’ players will travel directly to Qatar and join them on February 13.
“Si [Chris] Newsome, si [Carl] Tamayo, dederetso na don,” said Chua of the Meralco Bolts gunner who will play first in the EASL, as well as the former UP Fighting Maroon who will be coming from Korea.
A Boost from Locals
Meanwhile, the national team’s undermanned roster received two reinforcements for a two-day training camp in Laguna. RJ Abarrientos and Ralph Cu from Ginebra attended the camp.
This allowed Gilas Pilipinas to manage the workload of Justin Brownlee and Troy Rosario while also filling in the gaps left by the absences of Newsome, Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao.
“Si Troy magpapahinga, si Brownlee may blisters so pagpapahingahin namin. So papaakyatin namin si Cu at si Abarrientos para sa ensayo makumpleto lang habang nagpapahinga yung iba,” Chua said.
Inspire’s social media posts show Ramos, Edu, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, and Jamie Malonzo among others that joined Abarrientos and Cu.
Nonetheless, the Gilas Pilipinas will be in Doha from the 13th to the 16th, competing against Qatar, Lebanon, and Egypt, before returning here for a quick travel on the morning of the 17th.
However, on the evening of February 17, Gilas will fly to Taipei ahead of their February 20 encounter versus Taiwan, which is the penultimate game in the Qualifiers’ final window.
Gilas, which has already secured a spot in the Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia in August, will wrap off their preparations on Feb. 23 with a highly anticipated rematch versus New Zealand on their home court.
