Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 22) — While Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson and big man Kai Sotto did commit to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup, head coach Chot Reyes said the team is still unsure when they are set to join training.
Reyes said Sotto and Clarkson \”will be very important players\” in the tournament come its kick-off in August, but the team has to prepare for worst case scenarios.
“They are going to be very important players in our team but at the same time we have to get them enough time to prepare,” the national team coach told CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk on Wednesday.
“That’s why we have the necessary back-ups who are in place as well just in case, for some reason or the other, hindi sila makarating ng maaga (they don’t arrive early), then at least we are prepared,” he added.
Among the 20-man pool for Gilas, Cypriot-born AJ Edu is available as backup to Sotto. The 6-foot-10 center made his national team debut in 2018 Fiba Under-18 Asian Championship, where he averaged 14.2 points and 11.5 rebounds.
Meanwhile, former Ateneo de Manila University MVP Ange Kouame is also available as big man and center. The naturalized player was part of the 3×3 Gilas team in the recent Southeast Asian Games campaign which ended with a silver medal finish.
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee will also join the tune-up games in Europe this June. The resident Barangay Ginebra import recently underwent a “non-basketball medical procedure” that forced him to miss team practices but is set to fly from the US to Estonia to meet the team.
