Gilas plays Spain, Russia in friendlies

MANILA, Philippines — The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) plans to expose Gilas Pilipinas to European-style basketball as it lines up separate camps and friendlies in Spain and Russia ahead of the Nationals’ campaign in the FIBA World Cup.

“We’ve actually gotten many invitations but right now we’re looking at Spain and Russia,” SBP president Al Panlilio said after unveiling the new logos for the federation and the Gilas Pilipinas basketball program.

According to the SBP top brass, the target is to send the Gilas cagers to Spain in early August then to Khabarovsk, Russia a couple of weeks later before they plunge into action in the Aug. 31- Sept. 15 world meet in China, where they will be up against two European sides, Serbia and Italy, and African power Angola in Group D.

“The plan is to have a friendly in Spain at the front end of August, then coach Yeng (Guiao) will assess where we are, do some adjustments then go to the last friendlies in Russia towards the end of August to really get prepared for the World Cup,” he said.

Panlilio said they’re arranging friendlies with the national teams of both European countries.

He added that his counterpart at the Russian Basketball Federation, Andrei Kirilenko, is open to hosting more than one tune-up game for the Filipinos.

“Initially it’s just a one-game trip but I told him it will be hard for us if we go there to play only one game so they’re willing to expand it to two games,” said Panlilio.

Under the preparation plan, Gilas will commence training next month with twice-a-week practices. Guiao wants to make it daily sessions by August, but it’s still up for deliberation by the PBA board.

Naturalized player Andray Blatche, meanwhile, should be in by middle of June or July at the latest.

“We have to get his (Blatche’s) schedule going but Yeng wants him to come by mid-June or sometime July and start practicing. We also want to make sure he’s fit. You can see what he can do if he’s fit. But in the World Cup, for sure he’ll be well scouted, so he’ll need his A-game,” said Panlilio.

He also assured that the SBP is doing its best to get Cleveland’s Jordan Clarkson and Arizona’s Remy Martin on board as local players.

“We’re still working on it,” Panlilio said of the federation’s efforts to get the Fiba’s green light for the NBA player and the US NCAA star to be eligible to don the Phl colors in the China meet.