Gilas players re-enter the Calamba bubble

MANILA, Philippines – The Gilas Pilipinas national team is set to start training for the next window of the FIBA ​​Asia Cup qualifiers, with the first group of players entering the “bubble” at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba , Laguna on Sunday.

Continuing the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) plan to introduce a younger generation of talent in preparation for the country’s organization of the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup in 2023, several players who saw action at the last window to rejoin the training group. .

Among the early risers on the Inspire campus were Isaac Go, Calvin Oftana and Kenmark Carino, who arrived Sunday morning along with strength and conditioning coach Andrei Tolentino.

He is expected to be followed by 2019 PBA Rookie Draft picks Matt Nieto, Mike Nieto and Rey Suerte. The other 2019 recruit, Allyn Bulanadi, will sit by the window to recover from the shoulder injury he sustained last year.

Inspire Javi Gómez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso, Justine Baltazar and William Navarro are also addressed.

NLEX Road Warriors naturalization candidate Ange Kouame and Kiefer Ravena are also at the Calamba complex. Ravenna is the first of the PBA players to enter the bubble.

The SBP called again the country’s professionals for the next February window, after going with a youth group last November. The team, cornered by Dwight Ramos and the Gómez de Liano brothers, went 2-0 in the FIBA ​​bubble in Bahrain to jump to the top of Group A.

“These young people have not only demonstrated their dedication to the Gilas program, but they have also demonstrated their ability to work well as a team, as we saw in the two games against Thailand in the last window,” said SBP President Al Panlilio.

“I am grateful for their commitment as we continue to lay the foundation for the team that we will form in 2023,” he added.

The coaching staff includes the director of the Gilas Pilipinas Men program, Tab Baldwin, the head of the SBP Coaches Commission, Jong Uichico, Boyet Fernandez, Sandy Arespachochaga, Caloy García and Norman Black.

“As always, we appreciate the unwavering support of PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and the PBA Board of the Gilas program,” said Panlilio.

“We had very good discussions with the PBA and were able to get the commitment of several PBA players who will be part of the second group that will enter bubble training on January 22,” he added.

All players and staff entering Gilas’ training bubble will follow a strict protocol as prescribed by the Interagency Task Force.

The national team also trained at the Inspire Sports Academy in October prior to the FIBA ​​Asia Cup qualifiers in Bahrain.

Inspire will also serve as the home of the training bubble for the country’s national taekwondo, karate and boxing teams as they prepare for various Olympic qualifying tournaments.