FILE – Gilas Pilipinas during training for the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers. SBP PHOTO
MANILA– The Philippine basketball program will be offering a glimpse to its future when Gilas Pilipinas takes on old tormentor South Korea in the third and final window of the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers Wednesday night.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officially took the lid off its 12-man lineup for its first clash against the Koreans, with 7-foot-3 teen prodigy Kai Sotto and Ivory Coast-born Ange Kouame bannering the squad.
Making the cuts are recent Tab Baldwin recruits RJ Abarreintos, SJ Belangel and Carl Tamayo.
Making an encore are Dwight Ramos, Justine Baltazar, Javi Gomez de Liaño, Will Navarro, Mike Nieto and Jaydee Tungcab.
The cadets will be skippered by Isaac Go, who was appointed on Monday night, replacing fellow 2019 Gilas draftee Rey Suerte who has been decommissioned for the tournament due to an ankle injury.
The Philippines will be needing to win just one more game to gain passage to the continental showcase which will be held in Jakarta this August.
Gilas is set to play the Koreans twice, sandwiching a lone contest with Indonesia.