Gilas Pilipinas to have all hands on deck vs Kiwis

FILE–Gilas Pilipinas’ Kai Sotto and Justin Brownlee in the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

AJ Edu and Kai Sotto are tearing it up in Japan, and nobody is more thrilled than the Gilas Pilipinas brain trust.

The two young pillars making up the national program’s towering front line are leading the B.League’s blocks derby with Edu pacing everyone with an average of 1.7 a game for Nagasaki, with Sotto is a close second with 1.4 for Koshigaya.

“We’re looking forward to having AJ. And Kai, I think his development is continuing [as he is] gaining confidence,” assistant coach and team manager Richard del Rosario said. “[The] possibilities are limitless for those two guys and we’re excited to have them back.”

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Edu and Sotto return to duty for the National Five later this month when Gilas hosts a New Zealand squad with a rejigged coaching staff in the second window of the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers that will be held at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Breaking out as a star during the World Cup here last year, Edu missed the Philippines’ first two wins in the continental tournament last summer due to lingering knee issues.

Now, he looks more than primed for a Gilas return where he will be a much-needed presence.

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“Seeing him healthy and doing very well in the B.League? He’s going to be a great addition [to the team] especially in facing bigger teams like New Zealand,” Del Rosario said of the Filipino-Cypriot big man.

The Filipinos have lost the last four meetings against the Kiwis on the Fiba stage, but with Sotto and Edu, the Nationals have more tools to battle.

Del Rosario revealed that Gilas management is hoping that Edu could fly back to Manila ahead of the short, Nov. 15 camp as he has plenty of ground to cover after sitting out the wins against Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and the stunning run in the Olympic Qualifiers in Latvia back in July.

“The more important thing for AJ is the teaching because he hasn’t been a part of the last window. He has a lot of catching up to do. We’re trying to ask him to come a bit earlier than the other guys so we can start the teaching for him since we will only have less than a week [to prepare],” he said.