The coach of Gilas Pilipinas, Tim cone, during the qualifying match of the Asia Cup of the FIBA. –Marlo Cueto / Inquirer.net
Manila, Philippines – The coach of the Gilas Pilipinas, Tim Cone, will direct the national team in Doha in a series of friendly matches with an eye on the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 in August.
The Philippines will face Qatar and Lebanon on February 15 and Egypt on February 17 before participating in the third stage of Asian qualifications a few days later.
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The national team already qualified for the continental competition, CONE said that the next trip would be used to formulate alignments of a reconstituted list in preparation mainly for the August event and not only for the next third window of the qualifications.
Read: After Giant-Killing 2024, Gilas Pilipinas is ready to conquer more
“This doha trip will be an opportunity to integrate the previously injured guys, AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo, and to play games with them, as well as to learn to adapt to play without our key guy, Kai Sotto” said CONE.
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“The fundamental thing is that we use this Doha trip as a chance to prepare, not for this immediate window because we have already qualified, but as preparation for FIBA Asia in August.”
CONE said that if Gilas had not had a perfect race so far in the qualifications in Asia, the training camp plans would be different. Instead, the team flies to Doha on February 13 and goes directly to Taipei and New Zealand for outside games.
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“To be honest, if we were not already qualified, we will not go to Doha,” admitted Cone.
“We rather take this time to really focus on the beat of Chinese taipei and NZ. We understand that the trip will be difficult to go from Doha to Taipei to New Zealand in a few days, but the more we are preparing, the more we are preparing, “he added.
The coach of Gilas Pilipinas Tim cone, on the left, June Mar Fajardo, Middle and AJ Edu during training. – Marlo Cueto / Inquirer.net
Gilas will have the services of Key Cogs Edu previously injured, who participates in Japan B. League and Malonzo, who plays under the cone for the Gin Kings, while the team sails in the Sotto absence because of a injury to the injury LCA torn.
“He will be released for a year. But, he is young. Twenty-two. If you are going to have it, it’s time. At this age, he can easily recover. The medical profession is really incredible these days in what they can do, ”said CONE about Sotto.
“As I always say about injuries, it is almost cruel to say, but it has always been philosophy, you feel bad about injuries for ten minutes, then you move on. Because you can’t do anything about it.
Japeth Aguilar, who also misses the games of Qatar, who will take care of certain family issues during this period.
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Gilas Pilipinas faces Chinese Taipei on February 20 in Taiwan and New Zealand on February 23.
