Gilas, back in harness, plus one

T looks like Gilas-Pilipinas’ regular 12-man roster have been showing signs of healthiness and wellness as each individuals making impressive performance in their respective leagues. Sharpening their sets of skills as part of their build up for the second qualifying window of the FIBA Asia Cup on NoV.21 and on the 24th.

SPORTS

Roberto “Bobby” Rondez

10/20/20243 min read

IT looks like Gilas-Pilipinas’ regular 12-man roster have been showing signs of healthiness and wellness as each individuals making impressive performance in their respective leagues. Sharpening their sets of skills as part of their build up for the second qualifying window of the FIBA Asia Cup on NoV. 21 and on the 24th.

Aside from being healthy and wellness, Gilas line up gained some sort of booster, with the surprise inclusion and Gilas returnee, R.J Abbarientos, thus making the nationals’ frontline more agile and formidable, for sure he will be alternating with Scottie Thompson in carrying out head coach Tim Cone’s play book, offensively and defensively.

Currently, Scottie and R.J are have been blinding together perfectly well, leading the Gin Kings in the semi-finals of the PBA Governors’ Cup. Ginebra leads sister team the San Miguel Beermen in their best of seven series, 3-2. Gilas’ power-wingman Junmar Fajardo, is standing in their way for SMB.

The six-foot-two Abarrientos had been impressing the crowd in Japan B-League in his two-year stint while playing there, before joining the PBA Rookie Draft last June and eventually picked by Cone in the first round. He was among the new batch of Gilas players put up by Tab Baldwin during the 2021 FIBa Olympic Qualifying stage.

Ginebra’s resident reinforcement and Gilas-Pilipinas’ “Heart and Soul” Justine “Noypi” Brownlee, has shown his consistency and preparedness in all aspect of the game. Reaching another milestone in his illustrious career with the PBA’s newly instituted 4-point shot. Brownlee fired 41 points, 16 markers coming from the newly creates 28-foot arch.

Gilas-Pilipinas, which swept its first window assignments, against Chinese-Taipei and Hong Kong, last Febraury. will take on previous tormentor in New Zealand in the first match on Nov.21, while Hong Kong on the 24th. Both games will be played at home, At the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Kiwis have beaten Gilas in four meetings. During the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup Group Phase, 92-75. FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers,106-60.2023 First round of World Cup qualification, 88-63. And in the FIBA Olympic qualifiers in 2016, 89-80. Gilas’ loss were all under former mentor Chot Reyes.

Cone likewise had retained the services of veteran Japeth Aguilar, whom he requested to defer his retirement from Gilas duty. The 6-10 Aguilar has shown impressive performance with Ginebra throughout the entirety of the Governor’s Cup and he’s a great piece of the puzzle in the Gins’ game plan, according to Cone.

Over at the Land of the Rising Sun, Our NBA hopeful Kai Sotto (7-3) is also created bigger splashes playing for Koshigawa Alphas as showing complete recovery from a near injury accident during the FIBA Olympic Qualification Tournament last July against Georgia. Sotto shot 13 points, hauling down eight rebounds and two block shots and led his team to 79-70 win over Shimena in five-outings.

Still in the B-League, another Gllas member 6-10 A.J Edu, who missed all of Gilas’ Asia Cup and OQT matches due to a recurring hip injury, is back in full harness as he led his team kyodo Marines with three game winning streak. Edu is a big factor in the middle, he so versatile that he can be an able reliever to Kai and Junmar.

And coming from the far end (America), is the 6-7 wingman Jaime Malonzo, who was reportedly ready to come home, after under going a series of medical treatment for his injured back, in time for Gilas’ first practice on Nov.16 at the Inspire Academy in Laguna

A pair young guns, showing splendid performance in the collegiate ranks, UAAP. Are Kevin Quiambao (6-10) and Mason Amos (6-9) playing for the La Salle Archers and the Ateneo Blue Eagles, respectively.