MANILAS – Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team has included Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings forward Jeth Troy Rosario to their roster ahead of the February window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Gilas head coach Tim Cone said the call up on Rosario became necessary following the recent injuries of national team pool members Kai Sotto and Kevin Quiambao.
Cone added that the former National University Bulldogs star will join the Gilas Pilipinas training camp in Doha, Qatar next month in preparation for their match against Chinese Taipei on February 20 and New Zealand on February 23.
Also factored in the decision to call up Rosario for the national men’s basketball team is his familiarization to Cone’s triangle system, which the multi-titled PBA coach is also using with the Gin Kings.
The recent call up marked the 32-year-old Rosario’s return to the national men’s basketball team since being part of the Gilas team that place second in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Rosario was also part of three gold medal-winning Gilas Pilipinas teams at the SEA Games from 2015 to 2019 as well as in the Joseller “Yeng” Guiao-mentored national team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.
The 7-3 Sotto is likely out for a lengthy period after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injury during a game with the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League earlier this month.
Quiambao, on the other hand, is said to be out for a month after suffering an ankle ligament tear during his debut game with the Goyang Sono Skygunners in the Korean Basketball League over the weekend./PN
