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Gilas Pilipinas' star center Kai Sotto. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

The Gilas Pilipinas battles against Chinese Taipei in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Pasig City on Frbruary 25, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172750722016820240225150248_41b680de7a63226f63c07c49b38193cf21c86b307145e2b51131fbe5672f7384.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Gilas Pilipinas&#x27; star center Kai Sotto. <em>Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – Kai Sotto said his stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) prepared him and boosted his confidence for the 2024-2025 Japan B.League season.</p><p>In a media availability on Thursday, Sotto said the national team experience &quot;helped him a lot.&quot; Gilas pulled off an upset against World No. 6 Latvia, 89-80, in front of the hometown crowd before falling against Brazil, 60-71, in the semis to miss out on an Olympic berth.</p><p>&quot;I just have to continue working. The confidence that I gained from the past OQT, that really helped me a lot coming into the season,&quot; said the Filipino big man.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/10/kai-sotto-nagbigay-ng-update-sa-injury-na-nakuha-sa-fiba-oqt-1606"><strong>READ: PBA&#x27;s 4-point line gets thumbs down from Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos</strong></a></div><p>Sotto, who previously played for Hiroshima and Yokohama, also expressed excitement as he starts his basketball journey with the Koshigaya Alphas.</p><p>&quot;I also have a big responsibility in this team this year. I&#x27;m really excited. I mean, I&#x27;m up for the challenge, it&#x27;s gonna be a big year for me this year.&quot;</p><p>The 7-foot-3 star also bared that the team still has a lot of things to work on.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/21/b-league-after-yokohama-exit-what-s-next-for-kai-sotto-1505"><strong>READ: B.League: After Yokohama exit, what’s next for Kai Sotto?</strong></a></div><p>&quot;I’ve been here for a month, played a couple of games already, and we&#x27;re still not in our best shape yet,&quot; Sotto said.</p><p>&quot;We still have to work on our chemistry and everything. We still got time before the season starts. It will be a challenging year, but I trust my teammates, and they all work hard. It’s gonna be a fun season,&quot; he added.</p><p>The former Ateneo standout said Koshigaya had his best interests at heart, and that&#x27;s why he chose to play for the squad.</p><p>&quot;I think Koshigaya had the best offer and they had the best plan for me. So yeah, I talked to the GM and the head coach. And I really liked what they told me. That’s why I went to Koshigaya.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/10/kai-sotto-nagbigay-ng-update-sa-injury-na-nakuha-sa-fiba-oqt-1606"><strong>READ: Kai Sotto, nagbigay ng update sa injury na nakuha sa FIBA OQT</strong></a></div><p>When asked about his health, Sotto answered that he is &quot;completely healthy.&quot;<strong><br/></strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mlaIrgtiBuU??si=chAvKIzYcJul7udV&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Kai Sotto said his stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) prepped him and boosted his confidence for the 2024-2025 Japan B.League season.</p>

Kai Sotto said his stint with Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) prepped him and boosted his confidence for the 2024-2025 Japan B.League season.

Gilas stint prepped Kai Sotto for upcoming B.League season

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Gilas stint prepped Kai Sotto for upcoming B.League season

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 28, 2024 03:16 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 28, 2024 04:43 PM PHT

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