Gilas Pilipinas Men are preparing to fly to Doha, Qatar, on February 13 for a series of tune-up games before facing Chinese Taipei and New Zealand in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
The Philippines has already secured a spot in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after dominating Group B with a perfect 4-0 record.
Head coach Tim Cone views the three friendlies in Doha — set to host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup — and the away games against Chinese Taipei on February 20 and New Zealand on February 23 as crucial preparation for the bigger tournament six months from now.
“The basic thing is, we’re using this Doha trip as a chance to prepare — not just for this immediate window, because we’ve already qualified, but as preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup in August,” said Cone.
“We’re not a hundered-percent sure how many preparation days we’ll have in August, so this Doha trip will be an opportunity to reintegrate previously injured players like AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo and to learn how to adjust without our key guy, Kai Sotto.”
Cone emphasized that the Qatar games were only approved because Gilas had already qualified for the Asia Cup.
“To be honest, if we weren’t already qualified, we wouldn’t be going to Doha. We would instead be focusing entirely on beating Chinese Taipei and New Zealand. We understand that traveling from Doha to Taipei to New Zealand in a matter of days will be tough, but the tougher, the better — it helps us prepare.”
Gilas, currently ranked 34th in the world by FIBA, will face No. 92 Qatar on February 15 at 1:30 AM, No. 29 Lebanon on February 15 at 11:00 PM, and No. 38 Egypt on February 17 at 1:30 AM. (all Manila time).
The team will have to adjust without 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, who underwent surgery on February 2 to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. His recovery is expected to take about a year.
Barangay Ginebra veteran Troy Rosario has been called up to fill his spot.
“He’ll be out for maybe a year, but he’s young — 22 years old,” Cone said before Sotto’s surgery. “If you’re going to have this kind of injury, now is the time. At that age, he can recover well. The medical profession is amazing these days with what they can do.”
Cone also stressed the need to move forward despite Sotto’s absence.
“Like I always say about injuries — and it might sound cruel — it’s always been the philosophy: you feel bad for ten minutes, then you move on. Because there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Gilas will also be without longtime stalwart Japeth Aguilar for the Qatar friendlies. In his place, De La Salle standout Mason Amos is expected to step up.
Gilas Pilipinas Program Director and Team Manager Alfrancis Chua sees the Qatar trip as a key training opportunity.
“Kaya kami sumali, part of the training na rin for Chinese Taipei and New Zealand, especially now that Kai won’t be able to play,” said Chua, who also serves as the Ginebra Governor in the PBA and SMC Sports Director.
“Instead of practicing here, mas magandang experience na rin doon. At least, magkakaroon sila ng teamwork at mapapalaban kami. Also, mabibigyan ng bigger role yung ibang malalaki since wala nga si Kai. At the same time, makakasama rin nila si AJ Edu.”
Edu, who was born in Cyprus, is returning from a knee injury, while Malonzo recently recovered from a calf injury sustained in April.
Gilas started their FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers campaign with a commanding 94-64 road win against Hong Kong, followed by a 106-53 blowout of Chinese Taipei at home.
In the second window, they secured their first-ever FIBA tournament victory against New Zealand in a thrilling 93-89 finish, followed by another dominant 93-54 win over Hong Kong.
With their qualification already secured, the SBP’s focus now shifts to ensuring the best possible preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup — and that journey begins with the third window of the Qualifiers.
