GILAS Pilipinas will have no problems in terms of familiarity ahead of facing Jordan on Friday to start the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian qualifiers.
The Philippines and Jordan battle at 8:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena for the first time after three years.
READ: Gilas out to fight fire with fire against revenge-seeking Jordan
The most recent notable game between the two teams was during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2023 where the Filipinos won gold over a then-Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-led squad, 70-60.
Gilas also got the benefit of seeing Jordan in action just a week ago, as the latter recently competed in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan - part of its buildup not just for the qualifiers, but also the Asiad where it is eyeing to play for gold once more.
Jordan, led by naturalized player Jalen Harris alongside Ahmed Al Dwair and Freddy Ibrahim, lost to Philippine club Strong Group Athletics, 96-91, in the fifth-place game of the tournament.
“They have two really key players - Jalen Harris and Al Dwairi,” Gilas coach Tim Cone said.
“We are familiar with the Jordan team, probably more familiar with Jordan than we are with Iran,” he added referring to the Filipinos' next opponent on Sunday.
All-Filipino Gilas' tall task
But being familiar with Jordan doesn’t mean an easier time against them for the crucial contest.
Cone said they need to find a way to neutralize Harris, a second-rounder in the NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors in 2020.
“But the guy that we are going to have to be concerned about, he is their Justin Brownlee, is Jalen Harris. He is a former NBA guy, 6-4 shooting guard that averaged, so far, in the World Cup qualifiers, 27 points a game," he said.
“So he is someone that we’re going to have to find some stoppers to go against. With Jalen Harris, that makes them very formidable for us to defend.”
Jordan enters the game with a new coach in Spanish mentor Luis Guil, a situation that could actually be advantageous to Gilas.
“We’ll take any break we can get at this point,” Cone said. “We’re playing without Justin. We’re not bringing our best team also. Hopefully, just like when you’re playing in the league, in the PBA or in the NBA, when the other team has an injury or something is going on with the other team and they’re going through a bad stretch, you’re not going to feel sorry for them. It’s your job to go out and take advantage of it.”
“If they are adjusting (with a new coach), we’re going to try to figure out a way to take advantage of that.”
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