Gilas Pilipinas will fly to Doha, Qatar, for a series of tune-up games before resuming their FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers campaign against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand later this month.
With a flawless 4-0 record in Group B, the Philippines has already secured its spot in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, set to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this August. Head coach Tim Cone views the upcoming friendlies in Doha, as well as the away games against Chinese Taipei (February 20) and New Zealand (February 23), as crucial preparation for the big tournament six months from now.
“The Doha trip is not just for this immediate window, since we’ve already qualified, but as preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup in August,” Cone explained. “We’re not 100% sure how many preparation days we’ll have in August, so this trip will help us reintegrate AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo while also adjusting to playing without Kai Sotto.”
The decision to hold the Qatar friendlies was made with this long-term goal in mind.
“If we weren’t already qualified, we wouldn’t be going to Doha. We’d focus entirely on beating Chinese Taipei and New Zealand. We know the travel will be tough—Doha to Taipei to New Zealand in just a few days—but the tougher, the better. It’s all part of the preparation,” Cone added.
Adjusting Without Kai Sotto
Gilas will have to navigate the rest of the year without 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, who underwent surgery on February 2 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. The injury, sustained during a Japan B.League game with the Koshigaya Alphas, will sideline him for up to a year.
Barangay Ginebra’s Troy Rosario has been called up to take Sotto’s spot in the lineup. Additionally, Japeth Aguilar will miss the Qatar games, with La Salle standout Mason Amos likely filling his role.
Despite Sotto’s absence, Cone remains optimistic.
“He’s young—just 22. If you’re going to have an injury like this, now’s the time. He’ll recover well,” Cone said. “It sounds cruel, but our philosophy has always been to feel bad for 10 minutes, then move on. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Chua: Doha Games Vital for Adjustments
Gilas Pilipinas Program Director and Team Manager Alfrancis Chua echoed Cone’s sentiments, emphasizing that the Qatar games are essential for fine-tuning the team before the qualifiers.
“This is part of our training for Chinese Taipei and New Zealand, especially now that Kai won’t be playing,” Chua said. “Instead of just practicing here, the team will gain experience and chemistry from actual high-level games. It also gives our big men bigger roles in Kai’s absence while AJ Edu reintegrates into the squad.”
Edu is coming off a knee injury, while Malonzo has recently returned from a calf injury sustained in April.
In the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Gilas opened their campaign with a 94-64 road win against Hong Kong and then followed it up with a 106-53 crushing of Chinese Taipei at home.
In the second window, Gilas scored their first victory in a FIBA tournament against New Zealand in a 93-89 thriller followed by a 93-54 win over Hong Kong, both at home.
With Gilas already having a slot for the FIBA Asia Cup, the SBP’s goal now is to make sure they have the best preparation possible and this starts with the Third Window of the Qualifiers.
Gilas’ Qatar Schedule:
February 15, 1:30 AM (Manila time) – vs. No. 92 Qatar
February 15, 11:00 PM – vs. No. 29 Lebanon
February 17, 1:30 AM – vs. No. 38 Egypt