Gilas Pilipinas' training camp begins today in Laguna

Gilas Pilipinas' training camp is underway today in preparation for the FIBA ​​Asia Cup Qualifiers to be held on November 21 and 24 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Gilas Pilipinas training camp is being held at the Inspire Sports Academy in the National University Compound in Brgy. Turbina, Calamba City, Laguna, where the Gilas players will temporarily stay in their training camp.

Due to the limited time of their training, they will not be making their practice public as they usually do because they no longer have enough time to practice. During Gilas' training camp in Laguna, they might possibly invite a team from the PBA so they can play before their match next week.

Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas is cautious when it comes to Kai Sotto who is currently under the concussion protocol strictly implemented by the Japan B. League, this is following the match of the Koshigaya Alphas against the Nagoya Fighting Eagles.

According to Gilas Pilipinas team Manager Richard Del Rosario, they have been in contact with Sotto's medical team and are carefully following the concussion protocol of the Japan B. League.

“We’ve been in touch with the medical team of Kai’s team in Japan. He has been put under the concussion protocol of the B.League and we are following that. He is in the process of completing the concussion protocol. From all indications, he will be available come gametime upon completion of those protocols,”  coach Del Rosario said. 

Del Rosario also said that Sotto is expected to play for GILAS on November 21 against New Zealand, 

Del Rosario added that it is not only Sotto who has health problems. AJ Edu also has a suspected knee injury.

The Gilas team want to make sure that the two players are healthy enough to step back on the court. 

“Considering everything, if he passes all those steps, by the time that we play with New Zealand, he can play and he can even practice days before that. But of course, the primary consideration is his health. We want to make sure that he is healthy enough to step back on the court because these are young guys. Even with AJ, they are still the future of Philippine basketball. We are not just preparing them for the windows but for future windows as well,” Del Rosario added.

It can be recalled that Gilas Pilipinas is currently ranked 34th and will face 22nd-ranked New Zealand on November 21, while on November 24, they will face the 117th-ranked Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Justin Brownlee is determined to get the win in the second window of the FIBA ​​Asia Cup Qualifiers next week.

According to Brownlee, they only have a few days left before the match against New Zealand and he said that their two opponents are very tough so they are prepared and ready to do their best.

“We’ve got a few days before we go to training camp. So just get ready for that and prepare for the team and try to do our best. Definitely, you still got a responsibility to go out there and fight for the country. And we got two tough opponents in New Zealand and Hong Kong,” Brownlee said.