IT’S going to be a demanding week for the Philippine men’s basketball team as it conducts twice a day practices starting on Tuesday heading to the final window of the Fiba Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers this weekend.
Coach Chot Reyes and the rest of Gilas will still have its regular Monday night session at the Meralco gym, and then begin practicing two times a day 24 hours later.
See RR Pogoy ruled out of Gilas for sixth window with bone bruise
“I’m basically going full time with Gilas the whole week because we’re going to do two a day practices starting on Tuesday,” said deputy coach Tim Cone. “We have practice tomorrow night (Monday), and another two practices on Wednesday.”
The team practiced together last Thursday and saw Japan-based Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Ray Parks, and Jordan Heading join Gilas for the first time for the sixth window.
Also present then were Calvin Oftana, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Arvin Tolentino, Raymond Almazan, Chris Newsome, Kiefer Ravena, Kevin Quiambao, Francis Lopez, Mason Amos, Dechon Winston, and Jerome Lastimosa.
Roger Pogoy was likewise around but didn’t practice after hurting his right foot in TNT’s PBA Governors’ Cup game against Blackwater the night before.
On Sunday, the TNT guard said he’s going to sit out the window after being diagnosed with a bone bruise.
Gilas will take on Lebanon on Friday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, before facing Jordan on Monday.
The Filipinos are in third place in Group E behind Lebanon (7-1) and New Zealand (6-2) in the standings with a 5-3 slate and fresh from back-to-back wins on the road opposite Jordan (74-66) and Saudi Arabia (76-63).
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