Gilas will look to have a good start to their pocket tournament in Europe.
As Gilas Pilipinas begins its training in Europe for the FIBA World Cup, coach Chot Reyes made sure to set the record straight for the team's trip.
Speaking to reporters, Reyes admitted that the national team will likely have a hard time when it participates in a pocket tournament with Estonia and Finland. Add to that a match against Lithuania’s U21 squad.
“Very low expectations,” Reyes told News5's Martie Bautista on Thursday night. “We're gonna get our butts kicked for sure, but that's part of the process.”
Despite this, Reyes reassured fans that the results during the tune-up games won't mean much yet for Gilas.
“We want to tell our countrymen already that this is a training trip,” said Reyes. “If we win these games, great, but this is a training trip and that's what the tune-up games are all about.”
The current Gilas pool for the FIBA World Cup is made up of PBA stars in June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Poy Erram, Cjay Perez, Chris Newsome, Jamie Malonzo, and Scottie Thompson, along with Filipino hoopers playing in Japan and South Korea in Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos, and Rhenz Abando. Japan B.League-bound AJ Edu is also part of the pool.
Naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame are also expected to join the team in Estonia.
Kai Sotto and Jordan Clarkson, however, are unlikely to join the national team in their build up so far, according to Reyes.
For now, the important thing is for Gilas to build a proper team and find its way with the FIBA World Cup about just two months away.
“We're gonna make the most of what we have,” said Reyes. “Right now, we're just a collection of players, we're not yet a team so, this is the start of the teaming process and it's gonna be difficult.”
Indeed, it will.
(With reports from Martie Bautista, News5)
(MDB)