Gilas Pilipinas sets up friendlies vs Estonia, Finland for World Cup buildup

Gilas huddles one last time at Meralco Gym in Pasig City on Saturday, before its flight for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where it will try to reclaim the gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. | Denison Rey Dalupang/PDI

MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas has arranged a pair of tune-up games against European nations in preparation for its Fiba World Cup campaign.

National coach Chot Reyes said details are still being threshed out but they have already secured friendlies Estonia and Finland when it flies to Europe for its build-up for the global showcase set here in August.

The Philippines was drawn with the Dominican Republic, Angola, and World No. 10 Italy in the group stage that will be played at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan and at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Gilas is hoping to emerge as the finest Asian country in this year’s World Cup as doing so would mean automatic passage into the Summer Olympic Games set in Paris, France, in July 2024.

The Philippines last competed in the Olympics back in 1972 in Munich, Germany.

The Gilas brain trust is looking to use the same blueprint it used preparing for the 2014 World Cup, where it notched a milestone victory over Senegal after being absent since 1978.

During that bid, Reyes and the National Team trained in Miami in the US, and then flew to Vittoria, Spain. They also played in a pocket tournament in Antibes, France, before plunging into action in Seville.

Reyes said that the national cage program is considering Latvia and a “couple more nations” in the Europe trip.

A US camp is also being considered around in July, Reyes said during the World Cup Draw ceremony.

For now, Reyes is focusing on the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, where Gilas is looking to reclaim the gold medal it lost to Indonesia in last year’s showcase.