THE Gilas U23 team to the 20th Asian Games will be tested right away on opening day of the 3x3 men’s basketball competitions.
The Filipinos open their campaign against powerhouse Mongolia when hostilities in the half-court game kicks off on Sept. 21 at the Kinjo-Futo Station Square in Nagoya, Japan.
Nic Cabanero leads the Philippine charge along with Luis Pablo, Doy Dungo, and Koji Buenaflor.
Coaching the team is former PBA player Patrick Fran.
Gilas is grouped with Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Sri Lanka in Group A.
After Mongolia, the team faces Sri Lanka on the same day and then takes a one-day rest before capping the group stage by taking on Kazakhstan on Sept. 23.
Cabanero, 22, is fresh from registering the new scoring mark in the MPBL following a monster triple-double of 53 points, 22 rebounds, and 10 assists in Binan’s 121-79 thrashing of Pasig.
READ: Cabanero rewrites MPBL record books with 53-point triple-double
Meanwhile, the Gilas women’s U23 team also landed in the same group as Mongolia in Pool C, where they are joined by Malaysia and Macau.
The squad is composed of two-time UAAP MVP Kacey Dela Rosa, Victoria Pasilang, Kennan Elizabeth Ka, and Amyah Espanol. Coach is Anton Altamirano.
The quartet are likewise set to open its bid against Mongolia on Sept. 22 followed by Macau on the same day.
Gilas women’s then ends the group stage against Malaysia on Sept. 23.
The 3x3 format will have the top four teams from each group advancing outright to the quarterfinals, while the second and third place teams will clash in a crossover play-in to determine the four other quarterfinalists.
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