HANOI – Gilas Pilipinas will have 12 players after organizers approved the last-minute insertion of Jaydee Tungcab in the line-up for the Southeast Asian Games.
Tungcab was tapped to replace Kevin Alas, who begged off from national team duties.
See Kevin Alas skipping SEA Games to be by side of ailing wife
“He got his accreditation,” said Gilas team manager Butch Antonio after the managers meeting before the tournament.
Gilas is set to take on Thailand on Monday at 3 p.m. (4 p.m. Manila time).
Coach Chot Reyes and the Philippine basketball team gear up for their SEAG opening game.
Head coach Chot Reyes said the road to the gold won’t be easy.
Thailand has beefed up its roster with Moses Morgan and Frederick Lish, Thai-American players who see action in their domestic league, and naturalized player Tra Holder, who carried the name Antonio Price Soonthornchote in the 3x3.
“Other teams, we noticed how much they upgraded and strengthened their line-up. They have new players, new naturalized players. Our first game, Thailand, will be really tough. There are three Americans in that line-up. We have to make sure that we will be prepared.”
“The problem is we know very little about them. Very little about how they play. They have a new coach. We can’t rely on their past games. We have to make a lot of in-game adjustments,” said Reyes.
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