Gilas Pilipinas marches into the FIBA Asia Cup, all fired up for payback against a pair of familiar foes in the group stage.

The Tim Cone-mentored squad was bracketed with Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and Iraq in Group D during the draw of the prestigious continental hoops tilt, which will be staged in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 5 to 17 August.

DAILY TRIBUNE reached out to Cone for comments, but the prized tactician, who steered the Philippines to a gold medal finish in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, has yet to reply as of press time.

Gilas has a score to settle against the Taiwanese and the Tall Blacks after a disastrous road campaign in the third and final window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers last February.

After sweeping its first four games in the first two windows, a travel-weary Gilas stumbled to an 84-91 loss to a revamped Chinese Taipei side in its home turf. It was a shocking loss for Gilas after blowing out the Taiwanese, 106-53, in its first meeting last year at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Playing without injured starting center Kai Sotto, the Filipinos absorbed a 70-87 beating at the hands of New Zealand in Auckland just days later. The Kiwis avenged an 88-92 loss to Gilas in the second window in November last year at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Gilas’ Asia Cup campaign will be an uphill battle.

The 7-foot-3 Sotto, who underwent surgery after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament while playing in the Japan B.League last January, was ruled out for the rest of the year to recover and rehabilitate.

Naturalized player Justin Brownlee, on the other hand, could face possible sanctions after testing positive for a banned substance for the second time in two years.

Two-time Asian champion Australia is clustered in Group A with Korea, Lebanon and Qatar.

Japan is in Group B with Syria, Iran and Guam led by San Miguel Beer star Jericho Cruz while Group C is composed of host Saudi Arabia, China, India and Jordan.