Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone tipped his cap to RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario after deciding to stay along with his regular reliables within the nationwide staff’s 12-man roster for the Fiba Asia Cup, which begins subsequent week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Abarrientos and Rosario had been Cone’s final cuts regardless of being a part of Gilas’ buildup for the continental match since July 7. The 2 didn’t be part of the contingent when it left for Jeddah late Wednesday.
The Philippine squad arrived early Thursday and can start closing preparations for the Asia Cup set Aug. 5 to Aug. 17 as soon as everybody settles in.
“We thank RJ and Troy for his or her unimaginable onerous work,” Cone advised the Inquirer from Jeddah. “They had been completely essential to our preparation and we hated leaving them behind.”
Cone opted to go along with these he has relied upon since turning into the everlasting Gilas coach, particularly Justin Brownlee, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Dwight Ramos, Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao and Jamie Malonzo.
Malonzo’s stint can be fairly attention-grabbing after a surprising transfer that noticed him signal with Kyoto Hannaryz of Japan’s B.League, slicing brief what was anticipated to be an extended stint with Cone and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings.
The Japanese membership made the announcement on social media on Thursday, the identical day Malonzo celebrated his twenty ninth birthday. Malonzo signed a two-year take care of Ginebra in October 2023.
Oftana was nonetheless chosen by Cone regardless of earlier being dominated as having a “50-50 probability” for the Asia Cup as a consequence of his ankle damage.
Kai Sotto had been dominated out from the Asia Cup a number of months in the past due to an ACL damage that he incurred throughout final season’s B.League stint with the Koshigaya Alphas.
Each Abarrientos and Rosario, who additionally play for Cone at Barangay Ginebra, had been added to an expanded pool for the Asia Cup, together with Rhenz Abando, who not too long ago returned to South Korea along with his outdated membership Anyang, and Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero.
Eligibility standing
However Abando didn’t be part of Gilas after serving to Robust Group Athletics retain the William Jones Cup title in Taiwan whereas there’s nonetheless no readability on Lucero’s Fiba eligibility standing.
“We’re going with the originals [at the Asia Cup],” mentioned Cone. “RJ and Troy will proceed to be key items of the staff as we transfer ahead.”
Abarrientos isn’t any stranger to serving to out Gilas, having joined the Encourage Sports activities Academy camp in Laguna throughout preps for the ultimate window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers in February together with Ginebra teammate Ralph Cu.
The Ginebra rookie performed in Monday’s send-off sport in opposition to the Macau Black Bears at Sensible Araneta Coliseum, which was some indication of his doable inclusion to the ultimate 12.
“I’m grateful and grateful to be a part of the staff,” Abarrientos mentioned after the Black Bears exhibition. “Whether or not or not they want me to be in Jeddah, I’m at all times prepared.”
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Rosario appeared to have been an apparent lower after that very same sport, when he didn’t see motion in opposition to Macau. Nonetheless, the veteran of quite a few Gilas groups in Fiba tournaments expressed his assist on social media.
“The purpose is extra essential than the position,” Rosario mentioned on his Instagram account. “Good luck, brothers!”
