Gilas Pilipina. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas will have its hands full when it tangles with NBA stars led by Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Portland Trailblazers’ Damian Lillard as part of its buildup for the 2014 Fiba World Cup in Spain.
Griffin and Lillard, two of the NBA’s best young players today, will be joined by their fellow All-Star in Toronto Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan and Brooklyn Nets’ future Hall-of-Famer Paul Pierce in a pair of tuneup games set this July 22-23 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Business tycoon and Gilas patron Manny V. Pangilinan broke the news on his Twitter account Wednesday.
“Happy to announce that PLDT HOME will bring in the biggest basketball charity event ever! Blake, Damian, Truth, DeMar in #GilasLastHOMEStand,” Pangilinan posted.
“Oh in case you’re wondering – that’s Griffin, Lillard, Derozan & Pierce coming w John Lucas for Charity & to help us prepare for d Worlds,” Gilas head coach Chot Reyes tweeted.
The games, which are also for the benefit of the Philippine Disaster and Relief Foundation (PDRF), mark the Nationals’ last before taking on the best countries in the world starting on August 30.
RELATED STORIES
FIBA World Cup draw: Philippines joins Argentina, Greece in Group B
Kevin Love looks forward to seeing Gilas Pilipinas in Fiba World Cup