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Gilas eyes pocket tourney, PBA games before FIBA competitions

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/03/10/fiba_phi.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas may play in a pocket tournament or even in the PBA before plunging into action in FIBA competitions. <em>FIBA.basketball</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- PBA players will not play for Gilas Pilipinas in upcoming FIBA events, but the professional league will still support the national team ahead of its competitions in June and July.</p><p>According to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio, they are looking at two options for Gilas Pilipinas before the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 and Olympic qualifiers: the national team can either play in the PBA as a guest team, or they can host a pocket tournament with another international squad and two PBA teams.</p><p>Gilas will compete in the Asia Cup qualifiers that the Philippines is hosting in early June, while the Olympic qualifiers will be held in Belgrade, Serbia from June 29 to July 4.</p><p>&quot;There are two options we&#x27;re looking at, maybe if possible, if we can do both,&quot; Panlilio told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;One is, we&#x27;re thinking of having a pocket tournament maybe before the June window, with maybe one country,&quot; he said. &quot;The other proposal also actually raised by Vice Chairman Bobby is maybe we can have the Gilas to continue play games, have some games with PBA teams during the actual conference.&quot;</p><p>For the proposed pocket tournament, Panlilio said they may invite Japan to participate. Japan is in Group B of the qualifiers together with Malaysia, Chinese-Taipei, and China. The Philippines will also host their group aside from its own.</p><p>&quot;They&#x27;re participating in the other group that we&#x27;re not in. And they&#x27;re coming to the Philippines anyway in June, we might ask them to come in maybe a week earlier so that we can participate in this pocket tournament that the chairman is talking about,&quot; said Panlilio.</p><p>&quot;If that pushes through, they are inviting two PBA teams to join,&quot; added PBA chairman Ricky Vargas.</p><p>The pocket tournament can run for two or three days before the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers.</p><p>It is also possible for Gilas Pilipinas to play against PBA teams during the All-Filipino Cup, which is tentatively set to start on April 11. According to Vargas, the Gilas games will have no bearing on the PBA standings.</p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s something I think we&#x27;ll have to work on, with commissioner Willie (Marcial),&quot; said Panlilio.</p><p>Playing in the PBA will give the young Gilas squad precious game time before they plunge into action against Serbia and the Dominican Republic in the Olympic qualifiers. Only one ticket to the Tokyo Games will be awarded in the qualifiers.</p><p>&quot;Those are the two welcome initiatives that we can do with the PBA to help us prepare for those two important windows that we are planning for in June,&quot; said Panlilio. &quot;That&#x27;s something I think that we will really seriously consider and will be part of our plans.&quot;</p><p>Aside from the pocket tournament and the PBA participation, the Gilas pool may also train and play some games abroad to beef up their preparation.</p><p>The SBP has yet to announce the full composition of the pool, but they will certainly include the nine full-time Gilas Pilipinas players whom they took in the PBA rookie draft -- Isaac Go, Matt and Mike Nieto, Allyn Bulanadi, and Rey Suerte from the 2019 draft, and Tzaddy Rangel, Jordan Heading, JD Tungcab, and William Navarro from next Sunday&#x27;s ceremonies.</p><p>They are set to be joined by naturalization candidate Ange Kouame and other collegiate players. A training camp is already being scheduled for later this month.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uKEQWE-5nJY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>PBA players will not play for Gilas Pilipinas in upcoming FIBA events, but the professional league will still support the national team ahead of its competitions in June and July.</p>

PBA players will not play for Gilas Pilipinas in upcoming FIBA events, but the professional league will still support the national team ahead of its competitions in June and July.

Gilas eyes pocket tourney, PBA games before FIBA competitions

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Gilas eyes pocket tourney, PBA games before FIBA competitions

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 10, 2021 03:15 PM PHT

Read More:

PBA

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas

SBP

Gilas Pilipinas

FIBA

FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers

FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

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