Pressure, preparation ramping up for ''hectic-mode'' Gilas ahead of World Cup

MANILA (Philippines) - The pressure will be on the Philippines at the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

"The team is becoming more and more confident... It's great to see the growth of the whole team."

The fans of the basketball-crazed nation will be up close and personal for the games of Gilas Pilipinas as they play their group phase games in Manila in this World Cup, co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from 25 August to 10 September.

That’s why the team is deep in preparation for the FIBA’s flagship competition ahead of their second straight World Cup appearance.

"We've been in a hectic mode since last month already," said head coach Chot Reyes said after a practice last week as per OneSports. "We'll be training almost daily."

That “hectic mode” includes a training camp through Europe in which the Philippines played against teams in Estonia and Lithuania.

"The players are in good spirits. The European trip did a lot of wonders for the chemistry, for the spirit. I think that's very important. The players are feeling a lot better from day one, so they've all felt the benefits of what we did," he said. "Right now it's really a matter of assimilating and getting the entire squad together as we approach the final stages of our preparations."

Justin Brownlee, who starred for the Philippines in the last window of the Asian Qualifiers and is listed in the preliminary roster, was also a part of that training camp after catching up with the team in Estonia. The 35-year-old saw some great improvements within the team, even with the pressure and “sense of urgency” looming heading into the World Cup.

"The team is becoming more and more confident. Just playing together, trusting each other, and individually taking what we learned from the camp in Europe. It's great to see the growth of the whole team," said Brownlee.

There is also a lot of excitement in the air as Gilas have come back to training at home in the Philippines, as they are already returning or expecting a return from fan favorites Dwight Ramos and Kai Sotto. The 7’3” big man Sotto is coming back from being a part of the Orlando Magic team in the NBA Summer League.

The Philippines are in Group A to start things off in the World Cup along with Angola, Dominican Republic, and Italy.

Italy have recently announced a strong preliminary roster that includes players with NBA experience like Simone Fontecchio, Niccolo Melli, and Luigi Datome.

FIBA