SBP lines up friendlies for Gilas Pilipinas

SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Sonny Barrios said arranging a series of friendly games for Gilas as part of the national team’s FIBA World Cup preparation remains to be seen due to the Southeast Asian Games set this May in Cambodia.

“Lahat iyan gaya ng pocket tournament dumaan na sa discussion kung sino ang gusto nating maka-friendlies dito, but then nothing is concrete at this point kasi unang una may SEA Games tayo this May,” Barrios told The Manila Times.

The Philippine team is eager to come out strong this May in an all-out effort to regain the regional men’s basketball crown, which the country lost in last year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games edition held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

In fact, the SBP executive director said the team is sending a solid Gilas team that will also be reinforced by Justin Brownlee, who just last week, was sworn in at the Senate to formalize his Filipino citizenship.

In last year’s SEA Games edition, Gilas dropped a narrow decision to Indonesia, which allowed the long-time regional rival to capture the gold while in the process, ending the Philippines’ basketball reign dating back to 1991.

Barrios said the possibility is still there for Gilas to also go overseas after the SEA Games to train.

“Kung ano ang gagawin after the SEA Games, iyan ang titingnan pa natin kasi pwedeng pumunta abroad for training,” he stressed.

“Kung mag-friendlies, naka-pending pa kasi ang tanong, sino?” he added.

The series of friendly games will also depend on which national teams from other regions will be willing to join and come early as the country prepares to co-host for the first time since 1978. The FIBA World Cup is set to fire off on August 25, with the Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum and Philippine Arena as major venues for the world’s biggest basketball tournament.

Barrios added the friendly games should achieve its purpose of “helping Gilas” in its preparation for the World Cup.

“Siyempre you want to do something which our national team can also learn,” he said.