FIBA Asia Cup

Gilas Pilipinas pool for FIBA Asia Cup still up in the air

Delfin Dioquino

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Gilas Pilipinas pool for FIBA Asia Cup still up in the air

GROWING TEAM. The all-cadet Gilas Pilipinas has exceeded expectations following the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

FIBA

It is uncertain whether Gilas Pilipinas will stick with an all-cadet roster or acquire the services of PBA standouts for the FIBA Asia Cup

Gilas Pilipinas has yet to decide on its pool for the FIBA Asia Cup, with head coach Tab Baldwin saying the makeup of the national team will be determined by “people above my pay grade.”

Baldwin said the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will meet with basketball stakeholders in the country as the Philippines eyes to send a formidable squad to the Asia Cup in August.

“We have not discussed that with the players or with the other basketball stakeholders at this point, you understand what I’m talking about with the collegiate teams and the PBA teams who have our draftees,” Baldwin said.

The Philippines thrived with an all-cadet lineup as it swept its group in the Asia Cup Qualifiers that consisted of Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand.

After sending pros to the first window, Gilas Pilipinas stuck with an all-cadet crew for the second and third windows, stunning Korea twice and blowing out Indonesia and Thailand.

Roster changes, though, are expected to come as the Filipinos bowed out of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament without a win after falling prey to host Serbia and Dominican Republic.

Among those who are anticipated to return to the pool are mainstays Allyn Bulanadi, Matt Nieto, Rey Suerte, and Dave Ildefonso.

The four standouts missed the third window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers and the OQT due to injuries.

“This is obviously a discussion and the question you should probably direct to SBP because there will be answers needed to that and relatively soon,” said the American-Kiwi mentor

Baldwin also did not rule out the possibility of PBA players being included to the Asia Cup pool.

“We do not know yet. As I said, there have to be some discussions above my pay grade,” Baldwin said.

As the Filipinos return home, they will take a much-needed break before they go hard at work again, with Baldwin projecting a training resumption at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna starting on the third week of July.

The Asia Cup will be hosted by Indonesia from August 16 to 28. – Rappler.com

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Delfin Dioquino

Delfin Dioquino dreamt of being a PBA player, but he did not have the skills to make it. So he pursued the next best thing to being an athlete – to write about them. He took up journalism at the University of Santo Tomas and joined Rappler as soon as he graduated in 2017.