JUSTIN Brownlee was a no-show in the first day of Gilas Pilipinas’ training for the coming window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Coach Tim Cone said the 38-year-old naturalized player failed to arrive as scheduled on Monday as the national team began its grind for its crucial games against Jordan on August 28 and opposite Iran on the 30th.
READ Kai Sotto returns to play for Gilas in FIBA World Cup qualifiers
Nonetheless, Cone remains upbeat about Brownlee eventually coming on board for Gilas any day now.
“We are still awaiting Justin’s return from the US, but we expect him shortly,” said Cone to Spin.ph.
Cone earlier said the Barangay Ginebra resident import was set to arrive in the country on Sunday night in time for the start of Gilas practices for the qualifiers.
Brownlee went back to the US shortly after the third window of the qualifiers to rest and recover from the hamstring injury which he sustained during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
The injury forced him to sit out Gilas’ last FIBA game against Australia which it lost, 92-49, in Perth.
The same concern likewise led to Ginebra’s decision to rest him in the first round of the eliminations of the season-ending Governors’ Cup, with the Kings going with Riley Grigsby as Brownlee’s temporary replacement.
Brownlee’s absence on the national team’s first day of practice at the SMC Sports facility was somehow amplified by the sudden appearance of big man Kai Sotto after a two-year absence.
Cone said the 7-foot-3 Sotto will be playing for the country in the coming window, a development that thrilled the Gilas coach.
“Everyone showed up and we got right to work. We have 10 days to prep. We're all excited,” he said.
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