Gilas Pilipinas is headed into the final stretch of its preparation for the FIBA World Cup. Before heading off to China on Tuesday for a pocket tournament, national team coach Chot Reyes provided a few updates on the squad in a media scrum at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Among the topics he discussed were the status of Kai Sotto and the arrival of Jordan Clarkson.
Aside from talking about Gilas’ prospective key players, the veteran tactician also gave his honest take on how ready his wards are for battle, especially with the global hoops summit just a little more than three weeks away.
“The team is feeling fine. We’re in good spirits,” Reyes said before reporters.
“But as to where we are now, we’re far off from where we want to be,” he continued.
What Gilas is aiming for is to reach its peak condition at the right moment. But given the time left before FIBA’s Flagship event tips off, making it happen will prove to be a challenge. For Coach Chot, the only time they can overcome the hurdle is when all the members left in the Gilas pool finally show up at the same time.
“We hope that when everyone comes together and all the players are in, then we can make up [for] that discrepancy,” stated the veteran tactician.
Gilas will land in China without some of its biggest guns like naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, alongside Sotto and point guard Scottie Thompson. Clarkson's availability for the China trip, on the other hand, is still tentative. The Philippines is scheduled to face Iran and Senegal during the pocket tilt.
(GM)