AFTER Estonia, Gilas Pilipinas shifts its training camp to high gear in Lithuania as part of the preparations for the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup.
Head coach Chot Reyes said Gilas is slated to play four or more preparation games during the Lithuania training camp, while also intensifying the training with twice-a-day practices.
See Gilas comeback vs Finland falls short at close of Estonia friendlies
“We have four more in Lithuania. At least four more,” said Reyes in an interview with One Sports’ Carlo Pamintuan. “Four games in 10 days. Again, those are going to be good tests for us.”
Reyes didn’t reveal the teams it will be facing, but he said in an earlier interview that they were looking to play the Lithuania Under-21 team as well as top clubs.
Gilas went 0-2 in the Estonia tune-up games, wrapping up the series with an 89-85 loss to Finland on Wednesday.
Reyes said the tune-up games are part of the program of building the team during the early stage of the Fiba Basketball World Cup.
“Right now, we are just continuing, little by little, get up our conditioning level. No. 2, all we are doing now defensively is all the fundamentals, technique, mechanics, making sure everyone is on the same page, understanding our terminologies and what we want to do.”
“Then from here, we can now build on it. We can run some schemes. We can run different looks. Right now it’s all about putting in the fundamentals and the mechanics in getting on the same page first, and then putting in the foundation, and then slowly getting back into game shape.”
Reyes said the team recognizes that results won’t happen in an instant, but the lengthy preparation time is enough to build the most competitive team possible for the World Cup.
“We know it’s not going to happen overnight that’s why we are starting this early. That’s why we are playing all these games. That’s why in Lithuania, we are going to go two-a-day precisely because those are the goals that we are trying to achieve,” said Reyes.
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