<
        >

          15-man Gilas pool heads to Taiwan for FIBA Asian Qualifiers

          • Sid Ventura
          Jun 25, 2018, 01:45 AM

          The quest for a berth in the 2019 FIBA World Cup continued Monday morning for Gilas Pilipinas as a 15-strong pool heads to Taipei ahead of a crucial Group B clash with Chinese Taipei on Friday.

          Coaches and team officials led by head coach Chot Reyes and manager Butch Antonio were joined by 13 PBA players, one Gilas Cadet, and naturalized player Andray Blatche at the departure area of the NAIA Terminal 1 where they waited to board their flight to the Taiwanese capital.

          The 15 Taipei-bound players include PBA stars Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo, Baser Amer, Jio Jalalon, Matthew Wright, RR Pogoy, Calvin Abueva, Troy Rosario, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Allein Maliksi, Gabe Norwood, and Carl Bryan Cruz plus Blatche and Gilas Cadet Troy Rike.

          Gilas currently has a 3-1 win-loss record in Group B and is already assured of passage to the second round of the Asian Qualifiers. Chinese Taipei is at 1-3 and needs every win it can get to clinch the third and last second round ticket in Group B. The two sides clash on Friday at 7:00 at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium. Tickets are reportedly already sold out. The game will be shown live on ESPN5 with livestream on ESPN5.com.

          Gilas beat Chinese Taipei, 90-83, last November at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.