MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas has secured the commitment of Filipino-American prospect Caelum Harris to be one of the pillars for future interntional competitions.
Harris, a 6-foot-7, 16-year-old wunderkind, will join Gilas early next month to beef up the crippled national team program gearing up for the 2023 World Cup to be co-hosted by the Philippines.
“We’re very seriously building for the future and having Caelum is just the first step in this direction,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio.
A Nashville, Tennessee native tracing roots in Cebu, Harris is eligible to play for the Nationals as a local, having obtained a Philippine passport before turning 16.
He is expected to be available in the succeeding WC qualifying windows, the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the FIBA Asia Cup as a new member of the Gilas pool.
Meanwhile, Gilas will enjoy a real feel of a home court advantage in the FIBA WC qualifying window on Feb. 24-28 versus South Korea, New Zealand and India, with the government giving the go-signal to a live crowd. But only fully vaccinated individuals aged 12 years old and above are allowed.
Games are set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with tickets now on sale in all TicketNet outlets and online via www.ticketnet.com.ph. Lower Box ticket is P500 and Upper Box P200.
It will be the first Gilas home games in front of a roaring crowd since the country’s gold medal conquest in the 2019 SEA Games at the Mall of Asia Arena.