MANILA – Following their unblemished slate in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas is back on the training camp to prepare for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, later this month.
According to coach Thomas “Tab” Baldwin, the national men’s basketball team will return to training as they were up against tough oppositions in the six-team field that serves as a qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Baldwin will bring 12 to 13 players to Serbia qualifiers, who will be chosen from the 15-man pool that competed in the “Clark Bubble.”
“We haven’t made a final decision on that yet, but obviously we are only going to play 12 because we are not allowed to change roster like what we did in this tournament,” he said.
Gilas is set to face Serbia on June 30 (July 1 in the Philippines), while the squad will battle the Dominican Republic on July 1.
To strengthen their chances, Baldwin bared that Gilas Pilipinas is working to have a tune-up match with China, which stays in the country to prepare for the qualifiers.
“We are very hopeful that we might get a practice game against China,” said Baldwin. “Every game that we can get for these young men is extremely important. It will help us prepare. China is an elite Asian team.”
The winner of the Belgrade qualifier will join hosts Japan, reigning Olympic gold medalist United States of America, 2019 World Cup champion Spain, Argentina, France, Australia, Nigeria, Iran, and the victors of the other OQTs in Kaunas, Lithuania; Victoria, Canada; and Croatia in Tokyo Olympics./PN
