THE Gilas Cadets, led by Mac Belo of Blackwater Elite, will be the first to report for duty when the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team starts practicing this month.
National team manager Butch Antonio said this will be in accordance with a memorandum of agreement that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas signed with the Philippine Basketball Association.
Preparations are expected to intensify next week when the national team handled by returning head coach Chot Reyes sees action in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association men’s tournament.
The Philippines will be the host of this regional joust when it gets going from April 23 to 30 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Also known as Big Mac, Belo heads the Cadets list with a shooting clip of 48.1 percent from the field, including 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Also listed are Matthew Wright (Phoenix Fuel Masters), Ed Daquioag of the Meralco Bolts, Jio Jalalon of the Star Hotshots and Carl Cruz of the Alaska Aces.
Also joining are Roger Pogoy, Mike Tolomia, Von Pessumal, Kevin Ferrer, Russel Escoto, Arnold Van Opstal and Alfonso Gotladera.
Whichever team wins the 2017 edition will advance to the FIBA Asia Cup.
This is because the tourney serves as the qualifier for the 2017 FIBA-Asia Cup later this year.
