By el Amigo
MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas has shifted its attention to defending its Asian Games basketball title after arriving in Aichi Prefecture on Monday, just four days before the competition begins.
The Philippines is in Pool C alongside Bahrain, Kazakhstan and China, the team it beat in the semifinals of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023 after being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gilas will open its campaign against Bahrain on Sept. 11, followed by games against Kazakhstan on Sept. 12 and China on Sept. 14.
The national team enters the tournament after absorbing two heavy defeats to South Korea in friendlies in Suwon, 55-81 and 42-69.
Coach Tim Cone said the losses provided lessons that the team can use as it prepares for its title-retention bid.
“Me and our staff will be better, and we’ll be better in helping our players prepare for what’s ahead,” Cone said in a Philippine Basketball Association news release.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser acknowledged that Gilas is still developing chemistry after the current lineup was assembled only three weeks ago.
“We’re still building, we’re still processing as a team. It may not click right away, but when it clicks, hopefully it’s at the right time and we’ll be able to have a good finish here,” said the 6-foot-6 Filipino-American.
The coaching staff has also started preparations for Bahrain, which is expected to field naturalized player JaKarr Sampson.
China, meanwhile, will be without NBA sophomore Yang Hansen. The Chinese Basketball Association said NBA and WNBA players would not be included in its Asian Games roster to allow them to continue their development in overseas leagues.
China will instead rely on veteran 6-foot-11 center Hu Jingiu.
Yang played 43 regular-season games for Portland last season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in seven minutes per game.
Gilas deputy coach Richard Del Rosario stressed that the team cannot afford to underestimate any opponent.
“We cannot take any team for granted,” Del Rosario said. “So we started preparations and scouting, those things.”
The goal remains clear: arrive at the right form when the games begin and make another run at the Asian Games gold.
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