Gilas presses on with tuneups, routs Hotshots

MANILA, Philippines -- Gilas Pilipinas, still without Jordan Clarkson and Kai Sotto on board, is leaving no stone unturned as the countdown to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup ticks to less than a month.

Sans the two cagers on the court who are expected to headline the team’s stand against the world’s best of the best, Gilas marched head-on with another tune-up game against PBA club Magnolia ahead of its China trip next week.

Gilas drubbed the Hotshots, which just completed an 11-0 sweep of the PBA On Tour, with a 93-77 win Friday at the Meralco Gym in Ortigas, Pasig. 

Last week, the Nationals scored a gritty 86-81 win over UAAP champion Ateneo.

“By and large, okay naman. Throughout the game, there were moments and flashes of really good basketball offensively and defensively. We just really need to sustain it over long periods of time,” said Reyes after the big win of an All-Filipino squad.

Gilas played without naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who’s out for the World Cup as the team secured the commitment of Clarkson to fill the naturalized player spot. 

Brownlee, instead, will reinforce the team for the Asian Games.

Brownlee, the resident Barangay Ginebra import since 2016 before being naturalized by Gilas this year, watched the game from the sidelines with injured starting point guard Scottie Thompson and Sotto.

Still, it’s uncertain when Sotto would be finally available to join practice following a back injury that hampered his NBA Summer League campaign with the Orlando Magic and derailed his immediate availability for Gilas.

“Kami sa coaches end, we’re just doing whatever we can. So when Kai comes in, we take him through 5-on-zero stuff, anything he can do na hindi makakasama sa likod niya. But that’s all we’re able to do na. Other than, very little lang talaga,” Reyes added.

Aside from Sotto, Gilas is also waiting for Clarkson, who’s expected to arrive on Aug. 6 in China, for at least three weeks of training together before debuting against the Dominican Republic on August 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Gilas will fly to China next Tuesday for a pocket tournament against fellow World Cup teams for another overseas build-up after trips to Lithuania and Estonia.

The Philippines then will go home right away to host a series of friendly games against the teams arriving early in time for the 32-team world championships.