Gilas Pilipinas will only have 10 healthy bodies when they take on India to close out the third window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Dave Ildefonso has been ruled out of the game after sustaining a knee injury he suffered from the Philippines’ road game against New Zealand last Thursday.
Ildefonso got two rebounds in just six minutes of action against the Tall Blacks.
The 6-foot winger also missed 2022 KB Kookmin Bank Invitational last month due to an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Carl Tamayo will play through the right ankle sprain he sustained against the Tall Blacks.
(C) FIBA.basketball
Completing Gilas are Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, William Navarro, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Geo Chiu, Francis Lopez, Kevin Quiambao, and Rhenz Abando.
The young and short-handed Gilas crew will take on a complete India team raring to get its first win in the qualifiers.
Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Muin Bek Hafeez, Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, Prashant Singh Rawat, and Pranav Prince will lead India.
Rounding up India are Amarendra Navak, Deepak Choudhary, Pratyanshu Tomar, Aryan, Lalit, Vivek Vinubhai Goti, and Arvind Kumar.
Gilas are 1-2 in Group A while India is 0-3. Both teams are still assured of a spot in Group E after South Korea got disqualified.
