Gilas Pilipinas celebrates after beating Saudi Arabia in the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers. Photo by Fiba
MANILA, Philippines–Pro players will be available for the Gilas Pilipinas program when it resumes its build-up for the Fiba World Cup in the Asian Qualifiers this coming November.
The PBA’s board of governors in a meeting on Thursday elected to lend players for the games against Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The league leadership, however, limited national coach Chot Reyes’ access to a maximum of three teams to limit the disruption on its import-laced Commissioner’s Cup, which unfurls on Sept. 21.
The Philippines is currently 3-3 in the tournament which is being used as an evaluation period for a crew that is being assembled for the global showcase which will be held here in August next year.
The Nationals last played the Saudis with Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson at the cutting edge of Gilas.
The Philippines plays Jordan first before taking on Saudi Arabia again. Both games will be on the road.
Varsity leagues will be ongoing by November and the NBA will be on its second month when the Fiba games resume, which initially raised manpower concerns.
It remains to be seen which PBA teams are going to be tapped to backstop the national cage program.