Dwight Ramos (Facebook photo)
MANILA – Players from TNT Tropang Giga of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will join Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) window this month on February 24 to 28 at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The PBA board of governors approved the proposal made by new Gilas coach Chot Reyes for his TNT players to reinforce the national team due to the limited training period.
To accommodate the TNT core's national team commitment, the board also resolved to have most of the squad's remaining seven games in the PBA Governors' Cup be played immediately once the conference resumes on February 11.
"I'm very pleased to say that the PBA once again will adjust its schedule to allow some players from Talk 'N Text to play with Gilas not only during the window but also during the practice. It was a unanimous decision of the board to support such thing," PBA board chair Ricky Vargas of TNT said Friday during an online press conference right after the board's emergency meeting.
The number of Tropang Giga players who would be called to join Gilas will depend on how many from the last window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers will make the WCQ team.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, Meralco's representative to the PBA board, said five players, namely Ange Kouame, Tzaddy Rangel, Will Navarro, JD Tungcab, and Juan Gomez De Liaño, have entered the training bubble at the Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club Lipa in Batangas, where TNT also trains.
Dwight Ramos will arrive Friday from the Japan B. League, which is on a break, and is expected to enter the bubble Saturday.
Panlilio said putting up a Gilas lineup with the core of the reigning Philippine Cup champion is a testament that Gilas is not taking the qualifying phase lightly, even if the Philippines is among the host nations of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
"It is preparatory to a good showing hopefully in August 2023, so we want to take all the windows seriously," Panlilio said. (PNA)
TNT players to reinforce World Cup qualifiers squad - pna.gov.ph
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