AJ Edu is expected to join Gilas Pilipinas under coach Tim Cone for the first time, while Kai Sotto should be back to his healthy self for the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
Gilas Pilipinas team manager Richard del Rosario could not help but feel elated that AJ Edu is healthy and thriving in the ongoing 2024-25 Japan B.LEAGUE season.
In fact, the Nagasaki Velca big man led the league in blocks with 1.7 per game through five rounds of B1 action.
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That development means a great deal for the national team, with Gilas Pilipinas set to compete in the second FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers window later this month.
“Right now, we see him healthy and he’s doing very well in the B.LEAGUE and he’s going to be a great addition especially facing big teams like New Zealand. We’re looking forward to having AJ,” said del Rosario.
Another Gilas standout in Kai Sotto is also making his presence felt in Japan.
Sotto is second to Edu in the blocks department, averaging 1.4 rejections for the Koshigaya Alphas according to a report by the B.LEAGUE on games as of October 27.
Edu and Sotto are expected to join Gilas when the national team start their closed door training at the Inspire Academy in Laguna on November 15.
“Possibilities are limitless for those two guys because they're very young and we’re really excited to have them back,” said del Rosario.
But although Edu will now reinforce the team under legendary coach Tim Cone, Japeth Aguilar will still be part of the pool according to the concurrent Ginebra assistant coach.
“We’ll still keep Japeth with the pool of players kasi naman during the technical meeting, that’s when you decide the final 12,” del Rosario said.
Since Edu has yet to play for Cone, del Rosario is hopeful the 6-foot-10 forward can come on board a little earlier.
“The important thing for AJ is really the teaching kasi he hasn’t been part of the last window. So he has a lot of catching up to do,” he said.
“We’re trying to ask him to come a little bit earlier than the others so that we can start the teaching with him.”
Gilas Pilipinas will face New Zealand (November 21) and Hong Kong (November 24) for window 2 of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, both at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.