Gilas takes on Taiwan Mustangs in send-off exhibition

MANILA, Philippines – With a few weeks to go before the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), Gilas Pilipinas will face the Taiwan Mustangs in a send-off exhibition match on Monday at the Philsports Arena. 

In a Facebook post, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said the Philippines, which will be facing heavyweights Georgia and Latvia in the OQT early next month, will take on the Mustangs.

The tune-up will tip off at 6 p.m. and admission will be free. 

Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is expected to pace the Nationals, along with June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson, Kai Sotto, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo. 

Pool members Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu are expected to skip the OQT due to injuries, but Japeth Aguilar and Mason Amos are set to fill the spaces in.
 
Former PBA guard Alex Cabagnot is part of the Mustangs, which is coached by Coach Chris Gavina. 

Mustangs part owner Dwight Howard, as well fellow former NBA players DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook were recently signed by the team to compete in The Asian Tournament. But it is unsure whether they will play against Gilas, according to a report by Spin.ph.

Gilas will need to win both games against Georgia and Latvia, or at least one game by a huge margin, to possibly make it to the crossover semifinals.

One of the four remaining slots in the Paris Olympics are up for grabs in the OQT.