Kouame to rejoin Gilas camp

Ange Kouame will be included in the Gilas Pilipinas pool that will see action in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.

But whether he will be fielded or not is a completely different story.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Erika Dy confirmed that Kouame will be among the players who will enter Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna for a closed-door training camp starting this Friday.

Dy said Kouame’s presence could give Gilas coach Tim Cone the luxury of selecting who between him and Justin Brownlee will be fielded in the crucial window, where the Filipinos will battle New Zealand on 21 November and Hong Kong on 24 November at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“There’s a technical meeting the night before a game,” Dy told select sportswriters following a friendly golf event on Monday.

“That’s the time they decide on the final lineup, including the naturalized player.”

‘He is just here, playing for Meralco in the EASL.’

Kouame would definitely be a major boost to Gilas.

Brownlee, for one, is huffing and puffing following a grueling campaign for Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.

The fatigue was quite obvious in Game 6 of their best-of-seven finals series as Roger Pogoy was able to shut him down in the crucial stretch, prompting the TNT Tropang Giga to clinch the title of the midseason conference.

Prior to the Governors’ Cup, Brownlee also campaigned in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and a commercial league in Indonesia, prompting Cone to use him with caution in order to keep him fresh for the Commissioner’s Cup starting 27 November.

“It’s a little unfair for him at this point. He played in Indonesia, he got here, had to have this long conference, then now he has to do Gilas. Then, he still has to go to the next conference,” Cone said.

Dy said Kouame is very much available as he is under contract with Meralco, which is seeing action in the East Asia Super League. He will suit up when the Bolts face the Busan KCC Egis on Wednesday.

“He is just here, playing for Meralco in the EASL,” Dy said.

Aside from Kouame and Brownlee, also part of the 15-man Gilas pool that will enter the Inspire camp are Japeth Aguilar, Mason Amos, AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo and Scottie Thompson.