By Waylon Galvez
The resumption of Gilas Pilipinas practice session will depend on the last playdate of the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal playoffs.
Gilas huddles during their practice at Meralco Gym in Ortigas, October 28, 2019. (MB File Photo / Rio Deluvio)
The quarterfinal round starts Sunday with twice-to-beat teams Meralco and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel facing Alaska and Grand Slam-seeking San Miguel Beer, respectively.
The following day, top seed NLEX takes on NorthPort while TNT KaTropa meets Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok at the same venue.
In case of do-or-die games on the first pair of quarterfinal matches, it is set Tuesday, while the other quarterfinals pair – if it stretches to a suddendeath — is on Wednesday all at the Big Dome.
If all four twice-to-beat teams win, the practice session of Gilas is on Tuesday at The Upper Deck in Pasig City. It will be adjusted to Wednesday or Thursday depending on the results of the PBA’s KO games.
The national team’s practice session will continue at The Upper Deck on the 28th and 29th, the last one a morning and evening training. Gilas coach Tim Cone will also have similar twice-a-day training on November 30 and December 1 set at 9 a.m. to 12 noon at The Upper Deck and 2-4 p.m at the Meralco gym.
On December 2 and 3, practice session is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena, venue for the basketball event in the SEA Games, which starts December 4 when the Philippines plays Singapore.
Cone cancelled practice session last Monday after a pro team from Taiwan failed to arrive for a scheduled tuneup game. Part of the cancellation is the tight schedule of the teams that are in the quarterfinals of the PBA’s season-ending Governors’ Cup.
Meantime, the PBA takes a break to give way to the SEA Games. The semifinal round will resume right after the event.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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