Gilas player availability for FIBA World Cup a non-issue, says Chot
MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes does not expect problems when it comes to players' availability when the 2023 FIBA World Cup rolls around in August.
As player presence in training and for the actual tournaments have been persistent problems leading up to other competitions like the upcoming 32nd Southeast Asian Games, Reyes believes that it will be all in for the World Cup.
"There's no problem sa World Cup. There's a lot of players naman [that] are available because all of the tournaments all over the world are going to be on hold," Reyes said after the World Cup draw last weekend.
Of note, the PBA is also holding off its 48th season until October to give way for the World Cup.
"There's [not] gonna be [any] kind of conflict with any tournaments anywhere. So it's really a matter now of sitting down with the coaching staff and putting the team together," he said.
One of the biggest questions for the roster is who will be the naturalized player on deck for Reyes and Gilas Pilipinas, with Justin Brownlee, Jordan Clarkson and Ange Kouame all available at that time.
With the World Cup still a ways away, Reyes eyes crucial preparation time, particularly with tune-up games against quality teams.
"In the end that’s really going to be determined by how well we can prepare, how well we can get together, play together, and how many quality tune-up games we can get before the actual World Cup," said Reyes.
"I think that’s going to be the most important because that’s what we’re able to do in 2014, I thought we were able to put in a very good tune-up preparation schedule so when it came at the World Cup time in 2014 we were playing at a very high level. Hopefully we can get to that level this time," he added.
Reyes said the team already has a couple of training camps lined up, and that they will begin their trips by the middle of June.
Gilas Pilipinas is in Group A of the World Cup with Italy, Angola and the Dominican Republic.
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