JUSTIN Chua is the latest addition to the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the February window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers.
Team manager Gabby Cui confirmed the news on Monday, saying the Phoenix slotman out of Ateneo has taken Japeth Aguilar's place in the pool.
Chua made his first appearance in Gilas practice on Sunday at Meralco Gym.
The 6-foot-6 center will boost a Gilas frontline depleted by the loss of Christian Standhardinger, Mac Belo, and Aguilar ahead of games against Thailand on Feb. 20 and Indonesia on Feb. 23.
He joins veterans Marc Pingris, Troy Rosario, JP Erram and upstarts Isaac Go and Justine Baltazar in interim coach Mark Dickel's collection of big men in the pool.
Aguilar earlier begged off of Gilas duties owing to his honeymoon, while Standhardinger and Belo also opted to skip the window due to injuries.
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