Aug 06, 2019

Barely rested, Gilas plunges into action vs. Congo in first of back-to-back tune-up games in Spain

GILAS Pilipinas gets its training camp rolling late Tuesday night as it plays Congo in the first of back-to-back tune-up matches in Guadalajara, Spain.

The Filipinos arrived in Madrid on Monday and then proceeded to Guadalajara where they immediately held practice in time for their game against the Congolese, who are currently ranked 82nd in the world.

Little has been known of Congo, although as per its current roster, it has at least five players who are seeing action in the Euroleague.

Most notable of the five are Carl Ona-Embo and Christian Eyenga.

Eyenga, 30, was a first round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009 NBA draft and sparingly played with the Cavs from 2010-2012. He currently plays for Montakit Fuenlabrada of the Liga ACB.

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Meanwhile, Embo is listed as a French-born Congolese who plays for Caen Basket in the French LNB league, who previously suited up for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G-League.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao will only have the luxury of fielding in a 10-man team for the entire training camp, with comebacking Kiefer Ravena still ineligible to play pending the lifting of the 18-month FIBA suspension on him by August 24.

Naturalized player Andray Blatche will lead the Gilas side together with Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Japeth Aguilar, Poy Erram, Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, Matthew Wright, CJ Perez, and Robert Bolick.

After Congo, the national team faces Ivory Coast next, a team that previously won the FIBA-Africa championship twice and had been to the FIBA World Cup three times.

Following the two tune-up matches, the Filipinos travel to Malaga to compete in a four-country mini pocket tournament featuring Congo, Ivory Coast, and powerhouse Spain.

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They face Congo anew and a victory would set them up in a clash with the winner of the other pairing between the host team and Ivory Coast. (RG)
Spain will be backstopped by NBA regulars Marc Gasol and Ricky Rubio, along with Rudy Fernandez and the brother tandem of Willy and Juancho Hernangomez.

"We'll just try to get all the work done to put this team together in the eight days that were in Spain," said Guiao prior to the team's departure.
Gilas Pilipinas will return to the country by August 13. (RG)