JUSTINE Baltazar was present on Monday to kick start Gilas Pilipinas' build-up for Window 2 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Baltazar participated in practices with Kai Sotto expected to miss the Gilas games against New Zealand and Australia and the status of fellow big man Quentin Millora-Brown still uncertain.
National coach Tim Cone later confirmed both Sotto and QMB are out of this window.
READ Cone confirms QMB out for Gilas: 'He just chose not to come'
Also present during Day One of the 10-day preparations for qualifiers against Australia and New Zealand was Baltazar's Converge teammate Juan Gomez de Liano.
Justin Brownlee, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Cjay Perez, Chris Newsome, RJ Abarrientos, and Troy Rosario were also present at the Upper Deck gym in Pasig City.
Overseas-based players Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao, and Carl Tamayo are all scheduled to come aboard in the coming days.
Far Eastern University player Montell Shelton also joined Gilas training, but served as a practice player.
Gilas Pilipinas has started its build-up for Window 2 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers where they will face New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1.
Gilas will start practicing at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna in the next few days, before moving to the Mall of Asia Arena to get acclimated with the venue.
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