What’s next for Gilas after Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers first window
Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba Asia Qualifiers. –FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—New-look Gilas Pilipinas had a successful run in the first window of the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers, but there’s going to be a long wait before the national team plunges back into action again.
The national team call-ups will go back to their respective teams in the PBA and overseas leagues before they congregate again to prepare before July as Gilas vies for an Olympics spot through the the 2024 Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Gilas Pilipinas begins its bid to qualify for the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 as the first window of competition kicks off on February 22.
The national team looks to give coach Tim Cone a winning start in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers in a road game against Hong Kong before Gilas Pilipinas hosts Chinese Taipei at home on February 25.
In the first window of the Asia Cup qualifiers, 24 games–including the Gilas assignments–are scheduled across four game days from February 22 to 26.
Gilas Pilipinas schedule for Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers vs Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei
How, where to watch Gilas games: buy tickets, watch on TV and live streaming
Gilas Pilipinas’ games against Hong Kong (February 22) and Chinese Taipei (February 26) will be aired live on free-to-air channels One Sports and RPTV 9 and One Sports+ on cable.
The games will also be live-streamed on the Pilipinas Live app.
Tickets to watch Gilas Pilipinas’ game Philsports Arena, meanwhile, are available on SM Tickets with the prices as follows: P5450 (VIP A), P4350 (VIP B), P2000 (Patron A), P1650 (Patron B), P1350 (Lower Box A), P1000 (Lower Box B), and P350 (general admission – free seating).
As of February 22, only Patron B, Lower Box A, Lower Box B and general admission tickets are available for purchase.
Gilas Pilipinas line-up vs Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei
Gilas Pilipinas will start the country’s campaign in the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers without AJ Edu and June Mar Fajardo.
Despite the absence of the two key big men, Gilas will still have a pair of capable front-line players in Kai Sotto and veteran Japeth Aguilar.
Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers format
The road to the Fiba Asia Cup 2024–which will draw the 16 best-performing teams across the continent–starts with Window 1 in February 2024.
The next qualifying windows will be in November 2024 and February 2025.
There are 24 teams in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers which were divided into six groups of four. Gilas Pilipinas is bracketed with Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, and New Zealand in Group B.
READ: Gilas drawn with New Zealand in Asia Cup Qualifiers
Other groups are Thailand, Australia, South Korea and Indonesia (Group A); China, Guam, Japan and Mongolia (Group C); Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Saudi Arabia (Group D); Iran, Kazakhstan, India and Qatar (Group E); and Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon and UAE (Group F).
The top two teams per group will advance to the final round in Saudi Arabia in 2025. The six teams that placed third in their respective groups will play another qualifying tournament to complete the 16-team pool.