Gilas kicks off Cambodia SEA Games preparations sans few key pool players
5 min readGilas Pilipinas, the Philippines national basketball team, kicked off its preparations for the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, but some key players were absent during the team’s first practice session at the Meralco gym in Pasig Monday, April 3.
While attendance wasn’t perfect, the practice session still featured some noteworthy participants, including surprise addition NLEX veteran forward Sean Anthony, who surprisingly joined the national team.
Anthony’s presence was a welcome addition to the team, as it added to the number of warm bodies in attendance.
Joining Anthony were PBA stars Justin Brownlee, Jamie Malonzo, Christian Standhardinger, Japeth Aguilar, Roger Pogoy, Kevin Alas, and Jeremiah Gray.
Other players present in the training session were Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Calvin Oftana, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Mason Amos, and brothers Benjamin and Michael Philips.
However, not all players were able to participate in the practice. Aguilar, who is still recovering from an MCL injury, and Black, who watched the practice, didn’t participate.
Meanwhile, players from Barangay Ginebra and TNT, who are set to compete in the finals of the PBA Governors Cup, only joined the shooting drills.
Unfortunately, some key players were absent from the practice session.
June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Ross, Scottie Thompson, Stanley Pringle, Mikey Williams, Poy Erram, Deschon Winston, Kevin Quiambao, Jerome Lastimosa, and AJ Edu didn’t show up.
Despite the less-than-ideal attendance, Gilas Pilipinas remains committed to preparing for the upcoming SEA Games.
As for the absent PBA stars, fans can only hope that they will be able to join the team in future training sessions. With the SEA Games just around the corner, Gilas Pilipinas needs all the help it can get to achieve its goals and bring honor to the country.
Brownlee, who is seeking to become the winningest import in PBA history, took time out from his finals preparations to attend the practice, emphasizing his commitment to Gilas Pilipinas. Meanwhile, Anthony’s surprise appearance showed his eagerness to contribute to the national team’s campaign.
The Philippines is known for its love of basketball, and the country’s national team, Gilas Pilipinas, is a point of pride for many Filipinos.
The team has had a tumultuous history, with both successes and failures in international competition.
However, fans remain dedicated to the team and hopeful for its future.
The upcoming Cambodia Southeast Asian Games is an important opportunity for Gilas Pilipinas to reclaim its lost glory after losing to Indonesia in the championship match in Vietnam in the last SEA Games.
As the Southeast Asian Games basketball competition approaches, both the Philippines and Indonesia are gearing up for intense competition.
While the Philippines is focused on redemption after a disappointing showing in the last edition of the games, Indonesia is determined to retain its title.
To strengthen its lineup, Gilas has enlisted naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee, a seasoned player with experience in the PBA and other leagues.
Meanwhile, Indonesia plans to field Anthony Beane, a 28-year-old from Missouri who has mostly played in Europe and was brought in by the Indonesia Patriots in their domestic league earlier this year.
However, Indonesia’s naturalized player Marques Bolden suffered a shoulder injury while playing for the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League and was waived last month.
The team will also not be relying on Dominican-born Lester Prosper, a former PBA import who did not see action in the last SEAG.
As the two teams prepare for the upcoming competition, fans can expect intense and exciting basketball action. With the addition of Brownlee, Gilas hopes to have the firepower it needs to compete at the highest level.