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Chot wants Gilas unit with best chance to pull off victory

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/08/22/gilas-08232023.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas Pilipinas gears up for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup as they practice at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on August 22, 2023 days before the tournament. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas is entering the final stage of practices for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.With only two days left before the games and the deadline for the submission of the roster being today, team head coach Chot Reyes kept it simple in describing who will be making the cut — the players who fit with each others’ style of play.“It’s fit. [It’s] their fit with the way we want to play, and [how] they fit with each other’s style of play. More than anything, it’s really the players who we feel give us the best chance to pull off victory,” the multiple-time PBA champion coach said Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena.Asked how prepared the team is as they face the Dominican Republic on Friday, Reyes maintained that he will always look into what they can improve more instead of being complacent.“Any coach that you will ask, anyone here, I don’t think that they will say that they are ready. We always fear that there is always something more that needs to be done. Same thing with us. No matter how many practices we’ve had, the tune-up games, we still [feel] that there’s something more that could be done.”This is because the former TNT Katropa mentor knows how daunting it is to be facing the Karl Anthony-Towns-led squad, even showing a glimpse of their capabilities during its series of tuneup games heading into the World Cup.“As you can see in practice today, we spent almost the entire practice just trying to get ready for the Dominican Republic,” he said. In their final pair of friendlies, the world-ranked no.23 team posted an impressive 94-88 win over no.15 ranked Canada, while giving no.1 ranked Spain a run for its money during their bout albeit taking the 77-86 loss.“[The] Dominican Republic beat Canada and Canada beat Spain. [The] Dominican [Republic] also fought Spain in a very close match. If only KAT didn’t foul out in that last quarter they might have [won] that game as well,” added Reyes.“That’s indicative of how strong that team is. A team that has been together for a while, and they have a couple of NBA players and one legitimate All-Star in Karl Anthony-Towns.”And when asked how they can score one over them on the 25th at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Reyes did not specifically disclose any strategies.“It’s a secret,” he quipped. “With a lot of prayer.&quot;All in all, the squad only had 13 players attend last night’s practice - being Jordan Clarkson, Scottie Thompson, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, Rhenz Abando, RR Pogoy, Japeth Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena, CJ Perez, Jamie Malonzo, and AJ Edu.Thirdy Ravena, Ray Parks Jr., and Calvin Oftana were not seen at the venue but Reyes kept mum whether their absence meant anything for the team’s final roster.<div>For more stories on the FIBA World Cup, click <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/fibaworldcup2023">here</a>.</div>

Gilas Pilipinas is entering the final stage of practices for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Chot wants Gilas unit with best chance to pull off victory

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Chot wants Gilas unit with best chance to pull off victory

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 23, 2023 08:01 AM PHT

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Updated Aug 23, 2023 05:40 PM PHT

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Basketball

FIBA

FIBA World Cup

Gilas Pilipinas

Chot Reyes

Dominican Republic

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