PHI - Gilas just months away from dream appearance in Spain

MANILA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The year 2014 promises to be an unforgettable one for the Philippines.

For the first time in a very long time, 'Gilas Pilipinas' are going to play in the biggest, most prestigious basketball tournament in the world.

They are going to travel to Spain and compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The Philippines' last appearance at a FIBA World Championship was in 1978, when they hosted the event.

To make this year's occasion even sweeter, coach Chot Reyes wants to see his team advance from the Group Phase.

They will play in Sevilla, in Group B, against Argentina, Greece, Croatia, Puerto Rico and Senegal.

"We would absolutely love to get to the second round and to do that, I think we'll need to win two games," Reyes said to FIBA.com.

"That will give us a chance to progress to the final 16 and that would be a huge victory not only for us, but the Filipino nation."

Reyes guided Gilas to a runners-up finish at last year's FIBA Asia Championship in Manila but the coach knows the competition is going to be a lot tougher in Spain.

"It is a tough group," he said.

"We have no disillusions about it. But we relish it. We're going to prepare. We're going to prepare very, very hard.

"For a team like the Philippines, there is really no easy group in a competition like this. Everything is going to be really hard."

One of the players that is sure to have a say in matters is exciting guard Jim Alapag.

The 1.76m guard is going to be one of the older players in the competition at 36 years of age.

Alapag played important minutes in the Philippines' run last summer.

In the Semi-Final triumph over Korea that punched Gilas' ticket to the World Cup, Alapag had 14 points in 17 minutes.

He told fibaasia.net: "Last year's FIBA Asia Championship in Manila and the FIBA Basketball World Cup this year in Spain are an absolute dream come true.

"To have the opportunity to represent your country on the world stage is an incredible honor and blessing.

"Our country loves the game of basketball, so we'll be in Seville doing our best to make Filipinos all over the world proud of their national team."

FIBA