All-PBA Gilas squad to defend Asian Games gold

MANILA, Philippines -- As Gilas Pilipinas aims to defend its Asian Games title, it will bring in an all-PBA contingent to Japan, head coach Tim Cone said. 

With the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers window and the Asian Games separated by just a few days, Gilas will train two separate teams to prepare for the respective contests. 

“We're gonna have two pretty much separate teams. One for the window and one for the Asian Games. So, I guess we'll release that at some point. I can't tell you what they are all off the top of my head, but that's pretty much the plan,” Cone told reporters. 

“None of the Japan or Korean players can play in the Asian Games. So, we just decided that we would pretty much bring an all-PBA contingent for the Asian Games along with Justin,” he added. 

For now, the Asian Games team will be handled by coaches Richard del Rosario, Josh Reyes and Jong Uichico. 

After the World Cup Asian qualifiers, Cone will handle the practices for the Asiad. 

Still, the veteran mentor stressed that a few players from the FIBA window will be playing for the Asian Games.

“I guess some of them have played in the past with Gilas, but they haven't been a part of these windows that we've been part of,” Cone said. 

”But we can still get maybe one or two or three from the window team to join. But the bulk of the team will be new for the Asian Games.”

Cone added that the team may not have Bennie Boatwright in tow for the Asiad.

"We were hoping that Bennie would be alright to play in the Asian Games. That looks very doubtful at this point, but we're still holding on hope. But aside from that, it's gonna be Justin and all PBA teams,” he said. 

The Nationals will head to Korea to play friendlies with the Korean national team in preparation for the Aichi-Nagoya Games. 

Gilas, headed by Cone, nabbed the gold medal in the 2023 Hangzhou Games. It was the country’s first Asian Games gold medal in 61 years.