Gilas wary of Macau, Jordan

Gilas Pilipinas will be playing with utmost precision when they see action in a pair of friendly duels ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup from 5 to 17 August in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Gilas coach Tim Cone said the Macau Black Bears and the Jordan national squad will definitely push them to the limit, giving them a good warmup before they compete in the prestigious continental tournament.

The Nationals will be facing the Black Bears at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 28 July before tackling the Jordan national team when they get to the Middle East on 2 August.

Cone said winning against both teams will not be easy.

The Black Bears, for one, beat the Chinese national squad. 83-78, in a historic and dramatic match that was streamed live and reportedly had “more views than the Super Bowl.”

“They (Macau) played against the Chinese national team and defeated them. So, they’re going to be a tough team,” Cone said during the launch of Adidas as the official outfitter of Gilas Pilipinas on Thursday in Makati.

As part of the multi-year partnership announced in May, Adidas will outfit all Gilas Pilipinas teams, including men’s, women’s, youth, 3x3, 5x5, and eFIBA, both on and off the court, marking a new chapter in Philippine basketball.

SBP president Al Panlilio expressed his gratitude to the support given to them by the sportswear giant.

“Adidas has long championed athletes from the grassroots to the global stage,” Panlilio said in a statement. “We’re honored to have them as part of the Gilas Pilipinas journey, and we hope this partnership inspires future generations of players and fans alike.”

The Filipinos will be competing without the injured Kai Sotto against Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and Iraq in the group stage of the Asia Cup.