JUSTIN Brownlee is nearing his return to basketball activities in preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone said Brownlee is expected to be 100 percent fit for the national team’s participation in the Asian championships as he recovers from a dislocated thumb he sustained during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
Because of his injury and the PBA being an all-local tournament, the Barangay Ginebra resident import will be well-rested before he plunges into action for Gilas in the FIBA Asia Cup set from August 5 to 17 in Jeddah.
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“We expect him to be ready in time for our preparation for the Asia Cup,” said Cone. “I think it’s going to be great because he is going to be off for a couple of months and he is a guy who always takes care of his body and careful with his weight.”
“I think he starts basketball activities around first week or middle of June,” Cone said.
Before the injury, Brownlee had a lengthy spell of non-stop basketball that saw him play for Pelita Jaya in the Indonesian leagues before suiting up for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA and Gilas Pilipinas.
“I don’t worry about him coming back. But I think it’s really good for him in terms of mentally and physically having that break. He will be ready for the Asian Cup,” Cone added.
Gilas Pilipinas will be up against formidable foes in the FIBA Asia Cup where it faces Chinese Taipei on opening day on August 6 and New Zealand on August 8 before winding up Group D action against Iraq on August 10.
The easiest path to the quarterfinals for Gilas is topping the group, although there is still a chance to make it to the top eight in the qualification phase, where the second and third placers will play in crossover knockout matches against the second- and third-best teams from the other group.
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