Gilas turns focus to SEA Games bid

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas will take a “first things first” mentality with regards to a long and rigid preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, starting with the sooner campaign in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May.

With the World Cup still five months away, head coach Chot Reyes said that its concrete roadmap is yet to be finalized — save for a definite start of training camp for the Cambodia SEA Games beginning in April.

"Wala pa. The only thing that's on our plate right now is when to call the guys in to practice for the SEA Games set on May 5. So right now, that's on our plate," said Reyes, also the national program director, as Gilas seeks SEAG redemption after settling for silver behind champion Indonesia in Hanoi last year.

The SEA Games, where Gilas owns the most gold medals with 18, is slated on May 5-17 in Phnom Penh while the World Cup is on August 25 to September 10 to be co-hosted by the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.

Like in World Cup, Reyes cleared that there are no shoo-ins in the SEA Games pending a reconvention as early as next week by his coaching staff led by deputies Tim Cone and Jong Uichico after the East Asia Super League, where Talk 'N Text and San Miguel are representing the PBA.

"Again, there are no shoo-ins for the World Cup, the SEA Games, anywhere," he cleared, pointing to the big picture for a series of major tournaments in terms of roster assembly and full camp details.

"Right now, the plan is in place. There are broad strokes to the plan, but the finer details are to be fleshed out as the competition comes near. So we fleshed out the details for this window and it's over. Now, it's time to flesh out the details for the SEA Games."

The SEA Games, including the preparation and tournament proper, will only be a part of the grand plan for Gilas, which will include overseas training camps beginning in June for a full-swing World Cup build-up.

The only thing Gilas is waiting to cast in stone is the official World Cup draw on April 29 here in Manila to determine the opponents it will go to war with in front of Filipino fans.

"We have to wait for the draw. It's very difficult to plan and prepare blindly. We have to figure out who is in our group to know how we are going to prepare. It's going to be determined by who is in our bracket, in our group. That's No. 1," he concluded.