Ange Kouame, Justin Brownlee attend Gilas weekly practice restart
FILE–Angelo Kouame inside Gilas Pilipinas’ training camp. SBP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas program followed through with its plan to institute a regular weekly training session with Ange Kouame and Justin Brownlee in tow.
The men’s basketball national team practiced on Monday night at Meralco Gym in Pasig City making do with its promise to be better prepared for the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers (WCAQ) which the cage leaders are using to prepare for the World Cup here next year.
Article continues after this advertisementA clip shared by national coach Chot Reyes on Instagram showed Kouame, UAAP’s Most Valuable Player out of Ateneo warming up with Brownlee, the beloved Ginebra import who is being eyed to bolster the national team’s pool of naturalized players.
Brownlee has completed the documentary requirements for naturalization and is being tapped to backstop the Gilas program for the November window of the qualifying games, which will pit the Filipinos against the Jordanians, and again the Saudis in a pair of games on the road.
Joining the session were Meralco’s Chris Newsome, reigning PBA MVP Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, San Miguel’s CJ Perez, TNT mainstay Roger Pogoy, youngster Francis Lopez along with Will Navarro, the Gilas draftee who was recently barred to play in South Korea.
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Regular Monday Gilas practices are back. –CHOT REYES INSTAGRAM STORY
Also present were new Tropang Giga forward Calvin Oftana, new NorthPort acquisition Arvin Tolentino, and new Gin King Jamie Malonzo who were recently acquired by their respective ball clubs in two blockbuster trades approved by PBA this week.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has also announced the securing of the commitments of Japanese B.League imports Dwight Ramos and brothers Kiefer Ravena ahead of the fifth window of the Fiba games.
The Philippines is currently 3-3 in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers and will try to shoot for a sweep, this time without Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson, who will be busy in his club duties in the new NBA season.
