Gilas Pilipinas Focused to Beat Dominican Republic and Angola Basket Basketball Team
Philippines basketball team Gilas Pilipinas is focused to beat the Dominican Republic and Angola basketball teams in FIBA World Cup 2023.
Head coach Chot Reyes claims that the Philippines’ basketball team is undaunted by the task as it prepares to face the Dominican Republic, Angola, and Italy. Gilas Pilipinas will face the three countries in Group A of the next FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
According to Reyes, the plan has been laid out, and the battle lines have been established for the ardent RP 5 to perfect it in the final 10 days of training for the 32-team international basketball extravaganza, which is set to take place from August 25 to September 10 in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines as the primary hub.
The first order of business is to prepare for the match against the world’s No. 23 Dominican Republic and No. 41 Angola, who are regarded Gilas’ closest rivals, along with No. 10 Italy. Italy is the group’s benchmark and the team to beat if the No. 40 Gilas wants to proceed to the next round and get near to Olympic qualification.
“Italy is Italy. We all know the quality of that team. Fortunately, they are our third game. So right now, our concern is the Dominican Republic. A lot of our efforts are really poured into preparing for the Dominican Republic and Angola,” said Reyes.
“Our focus really is the Dominican Republic and Angola because those are the two games we really have to get.”
On August 25, Gilas will face the Dominican Republic in the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. According to a PhilStar report, the country will strive to break the FIBA gate attendance record of 32,616 fans set in the 1994 Toronto edition. The action then moves to the magnificent Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, where Gilas will face Angola on August 27.
Italy recently unveiled its Final 12 roster, which includes Jordan Clarkson’s Utaz Jazz teammate Simone Fontecchio as well as former NBA players Luigi Datome and Nicolo Melli. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ three-time NBA All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns has also joined the Dominican Republic in Spain.
Angola, led by Atlanta Hawks center Bruno Fernando, is hard at work in Japan. Gilas prepared for these teams with camps in Europe as a simulation against Italy and in China as a gauge for Angola versus Senegal.
Before its final friendly against Mexico, the Gilas will play more European and African teams in Montenegro and Ivory Coast at home. The practice matches will also serve as the ultimate basis for the coaching staff, which includes deputies Jong Uichico and Tim Cone, to choose the Gilas ultimate 12 from the remaining 16 players.
Meanwhile, young professional basketball player Kai Sotto is ready to play for the Gilas in the FIBA World Cup 2023. According to Al Panlilio, President of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), Sotto’s doctor has cleared him for full-contact basketball.
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