Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Philippine national basketball team will open the inaugural MVP Cup on Friday (September 10) against the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
In its last tuneup tournament before the FIBA Asia Championship, Gilas Pilipinas will take on a Talk ‘N Text side without stars Jayson Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser.
But Gilas coach Tab Baldwin said they’re not treating the depleted Talk ‘N Text, as well as Chinese Taipei and New Zealand’s Wellington Saints, with kid gloves.
“We cannot underestimate the teams,” Baldwin said during the pocket tournament’s press conference Thursday in Ortigas.
“This is gonna be one hell of a tournament and it’s not gonna be easy for anyone to win.”
Talk ‘N Text sniper Larry Fonacier, part of the Gilas squad that wound up second in the 2013 edition of the biennial meet, promised they will give Gilas a good fight.
“We’ll try to help Gilas to the best that we can,” Fonacier said.
Despite an impressive showing in the Jones Cup, Baldwin said his team is not yet peaking, but hopes that it will in time for the FIBA Asia Championship.
