Philippine basketball

Tamayo, Quiambao, Kouame show up for Gilas practice amid busy UAAP season

Philip Matel

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Tamayo, Quiambao, Kouame show up for Gilas practice amid busy UAAP season

KATIPUNAN STARS. Ateneo's Ange Kouame nabs UAAP MVP honors while UP's Carl Tamayo earns top rookie nod

UAAP Season 84 Media Team

Despite the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament already starting, top collegiate stars like MVP Ange Kouame still make sure to find time for national team practice ahead of the fast-approaching 2023 FIBA World Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Collegiate stalwarts Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, and UAAP MVP Ange Kouame took part in Gilas Pilipinas’ weekly practice session held at the Meralco Gym on Monday, October 3.

A total of 16 players from the collegiate and professional ranks worked out for an hour at the venue, doing shooting drills and practicing different sets led by coach Chot Reyes, along with assistants Tim Cone and Josh Reyes.

The training is part of Gilas’ preparations for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in November, where the Filipino cagers will fly to the Middle East and face Jordan on November 7, and Saudi Arabia on November 10.

“We told the players, some of them had games [last October 2]. Everyone has also practiced today, so we’re not gonna overextend them,” said the elder Reyes. 

“We have specific things that we want to achieve. So today, we wanted to achieve a couple of things done and they went hard right away. These guys are in shape, but more importantly get the opportunity of playing together,” he added.

Tamayo of UP and Quiambao of La Salle, former NU Bullpups teammates, were reunited after going head to head on Saturday, October 1, where the Fighting Maroons squeaked past the Green Archers.

The UP big man, however, was 25 minutes late as he went straight to Pasig from the Maroons’ practice session at Diliman.

Despite nursing a calf contusion that caused him to miss their tiff against rival Brgy. Ginebra on Sunday, October 2, Meralco Bolts guard Chris Newsome participated in the practice session.

Also in attendance were six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel teammate CJ Perez, and TNT Tropang Giga players Roger Pogoy, Poy Erram, and Calvin Oftana.

Several of Cone’s wards such as reigning PBA MVP Scottie Thompson, Gilas veteran Japeth Aguilar, and new acquisition Jamie Malonzo, were also present in the training.

William Navarro, who recently had a spat with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas over his release to play professionally in Korea, was present, along with NorthPort forward Arvin Tolentino and former Ateneo high school star Francis Lopez. – Rappler.com

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