Ateneo will not have its key piece in its preparation for its four-peat quest.
Angelo Kouame has already left Ateneo’s bubble early this week to join Gilas Pilipinas.
Gilas are holding camp in TNT’s bubble at Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas.
“We are very fortunate that Ateneo lent us Ange Kouame,” said Gilas head coach Chot Reyes on PlayItRight TV.
Despite TNT being allowed to have closed circuit training due to the National Capital Region being put under Alert Level Two, the Tropang Giga opted for a full bubble training.
In the case of Kouame however, the Ateneo senior is not allowed to go back and forth from Lipa to Katipunan.
This as varsity teams have only been allowed by the Commission on Higher Education to only train under a full bubble modality — no going out while new entries will need to isolate for days before joining training.
With Gilas playing its first window games in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers from February 24-28, the earliest Kouame can return to the Blue Eagles’ nest is on March 1.
This would only give the 6-foot-11 big man at most 25 days to train with Ateneo.
Kouame was the only Ateneo player called up by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. SJ Belangel, Geo Chiu, and Dave Ildefonso did not receive invites.
“We don’t want to bother them with the other players because we don’t want to disrupt their preparation for the UAAP,” said Reyes.
Also already in Lipa are Juan Gomez de Liano, William Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel, and Jaydee Tungcab.
Dwight Ramos will arrive in the bubble by Saturday.
