The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has requested the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to lend 15 to 18 players, who will be part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the February window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, according to multiple reports on Monday.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said he already received SBP’s request, but won’t divulge the names of the players yet, as the league will talk first to their mother ball clubs, and the players themselves regarding the development.
The reports furthered that Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar, Phoenix’s Matthew Wright, and TNT players Ray Parks Jr., RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, and Poy Erram are expected to join the Gilas pool.
The PBA players will be joined by the youth-laden Gilas squad, bannered by Dwight Ramos and Juan Gomez de Liaño, that went 2-0 in the November window of the qualifiers last year.
This, as SBP eyes a 29-man pool that will prepare for the February window of the qualifiers.
The training site is at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The Philippines leads the Group A standings of the qualifiers with a 3-0 slate. South Korea is at second place with a 2-0 card, while Indonesia is third with a 1-2 record, and Thailand is fourth with a 0-4 slate.
Gilas will face South Korea twice on February 18 and 22, and Indonesia once on February 20 in the third and final window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers.
The Filipinos are just one win away from qualifying in the FIBA Asia Cup to be hosted by Indonesia in August.