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The young legs of GILAS Pilipinas will be tested in the November window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers.
In a revised calendar obtained by Spin.ph, the Philippine team will be overlooked as the cadet team will now play four games in four days in Manama, Bahrain.
The first game against Thailand will now be on November 27, moved one day after its original game date. This game was the rescheduled match since the first qualifying window last February.
Meanwhile, Korea will be waiting a day later, on November 28, although it is not yet clear whether the Koreans will present a squad in this window after previous pronouncements by the national federation withdrawing due to COVID-19 concerns.
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A well-prepared Indonesian team of coach Rajko Toroman had their chance at this young Gilas squad on November 29. This game was moved from the third window in February 2021 to the November window.
And topping the murderous schedule is Thailand again, still set for November 30.
The Philippine Basketball Association (SBP) has yet to confirm the schedule.
Still, it will be a test of mettle for Gilas, with the Philippines relying on collegiate stars Kobe Paras and Juan Gomez de Liano, as well as Gilas special recruits Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, Allyn Bulanadi and twins Matt and Mike Nieto.
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The team just started training at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna last Friday and hopes to build enough cohesion to represent the country well in Bahrain.
The group of 16 players is completed by Justine Baltazar, Dwight Ramos, Dave Ildefonso, Will Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Javi Gómez de Liano, Calvin Oftana, Kemark Carino and Ivorian center Ange Kouame.
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Kouame, however, has yet to obtain his Philippine citizenship, which would prevent him from posing as the country’s naturalized player in said game series.
