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Now at 100%, AJ Edu hopes to suit up for Gilas in World Cup

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Gilas center AJ Edu during the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. FIBA/File." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/06/04/20230604-fiba_phi-aj-edu.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas center AJ Edu during the FIBA U-18 Asian Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. FIBA/File.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — AJ Edu has turned heads with his impressive play in Gilas Pilipinas’ China pocket tournament, and the 6-foot-10 defensive stalwart said the experience helped him to finally tap in to his true potential. “It was a really good competition,” said in an interview with CNN’s SportsDesk on Tuesday. “I think for me, this is the highest level of international basketball competition I’ve faced.” Edu put up numbers of 8.5 points, 8.75 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in their four games at the Heyuan WUS International Basketball Tournament wherein they won three out of the four games that they played.But aside from his impressive showing, it was about finally being able to gain confidence that the former US NCAA Division I player needed after suffering a series of knee injuries.“I was really thankful for this tournament. It definitely brought a lot of confidence for me personally. Just being able to compete and make an impact on that level, it’s a huge boost for me,” he said.“I’m finally hitting that stride. This tournament was a really good foundation. I want to continue to build, to increase my impact.”As for his knee issues, Edu shared that he now feels fully healthy.“I felt really good. I felt 100%,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/04/23/aj-edu-returns-to-gilas-pool-hopes-to-make-final-12">AJ Edu returns to Gilas pool, hopes to make FIBA Final 12</a></li></ul>Their China stint also helped Gilas gauge their development with the World Cup rapidly approaching, as per Edu.“It was a good tournament for myself and a good tournament for the team,” he said. “We definitely want to build off of this as we go closer to the World Cup.”“It’s hard to say whether we’re a hundred percent yet ‘cause Jordan [Clarkson] and Kai [Sotto] haven’t been able to join [yet]. [But] we made huge strides in China, we’re starting to really work together both defensively and offensively,” the 23-year-old explained.The incoming center of the Toyama Grouses in B.League also revealed how veteran big men Japeth Aguilar and June Mar Fajardo have taken him under their wings and primed him to become one of the next foundations of Gilas’ frontline.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/20/23/aj-edu-to-play-for-toyama-grouses-in-bleague">AJ Edu to play for Toyama Grouses in B.League</a></li></ul>“That was another huge aspect of this tournament, how supportive my teammates were, and how they encouraged me to shoot. Kuya Japs and Kuya June Mar, people I look up to, playing with them has been really cool,” he said.“I’ve just been trying to soak in from watching them and for the example they’ve been setting. The experience they have is very valuable.” He then bared what he thinks will be his advantage in hopes of making the team’s Final 12.“I think this pocket tournament kind of showed the versatility that I have offensively and defensively, and I think versatility, especially in my position at the four or five, is really important,” Edu humbly shared.“It’s not my decision, it’s up to the coaching staff, the SBP, but I’m confident that being able to showcase my abilities should be enough. We’ll see,” he continued.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2752572" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

AJ Edu has turned heads with his play in Gilas’ China tourney, and the young big man said that their experience helped him to tap in to his potential.

Now at 100%, AJ Edu hopes to suit up for Gilas in World Cup

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Now at 100%, AJ Edu hopes to suit up for Gilas in World Cup

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 09, 2023 07:04 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

Gilas Pilipinas

AJ Edu

2023 FIBA World Cup

FIBA

Kai Sotto

Jordan Clarkson

FIBA World Cup

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