Gilas shifts focus on Indon quintet

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the postponement of Thursday’s kickoff game against Thailand in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, it’s business-as-usual for Gilas Pilipinas, which shifts its focus on its second opponent Indonesia.

“Practice will continue for the Feb. 23 game against Indonesia,” Gilas team manager Gabby Cui told The STAR.

The Nationals went about their business with their Valentine’s Day training session yesterday at Meralco Gym as they continued gearing up for their remaining Group A outing in the first window,  an away match against the Rajko Toroman-coached Indons in Jakarta.

Unlike the Gilas-Thai opener in Manila, the Indonesia-Philippine tussle over at Britama Arena was allowed to be played as scheduled.

FIBA Asia late Thursday notified the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) of the shelving of Gilas’ opening gig a week before it was supposed to host the Thais at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“At 7:55 p.m., SBP received word from FIBA Asia postponing the Philippine game against Thailand on Thursday in consideration of the Philippine Department of Health advisory against organizing events with mass attendance as a precaution re: threat of the coronavirus epidemic,” the federation said.

“However, the game against Indonesia in Jakarta on Sunday, Feb. 23, will proceed as scheduled,” it added.

FIBA Asia also postponed two other scheduled faceoffs over in Group B, the Feb. 21 showdown between Japan and China in Chiba and the Feb. 24 tiff between China and Malaysia in Foshan due to the current coronavirus outbreak. 

“The new dates (for the affected games) will be announced later,” FIBA Asia said.

The Gilas-Thailand matchup was the latest event – both national and international – set in the Philippines to be shelved due to the COVID-19.