Manila will be the setting for Gilas Pilipinas’ training camp for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand in December.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy said Gilas head coach Norman Black wants to set up camp at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City instead once the roster is complete.

Naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame have committed to join the SEA Games as well as Remy Martin, Ray Parks, Matthew Wright, Dave Ildefonso, Jason Brickman and Veejay Pre.

“The men’s basketball team will most likely set up their training camp in Manila. Usually, we would do it at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna but Coach Norman wants to hold his practices in Manila,” Dy said on “Off the Court,” the weekly online news show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“The venue of the camp would usually depend on the preference of the coach.”

Dy even said they submitted an 80-man list to make sure Black would have more options in forming the best Gilas squad available.

“The SEA Games are still three months away, so there are a lot of things to factor in like injuries. There are four more slots left but Coach Norman is hoping to add collegiate players to the roster,” Dy added.

Black, who is currently a consultant for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association, said they are racing against time because they will only have a short period to train before flying to Thailand for the prestigious biennial meet scheduled 9 to 20 December.

The Philippines is gunning for back-to-back SEA Games gold as well as its 20th overall title.

“Our preparations are going to be short. That’s why we need to get guys who can play together very quickly and who can play together very well,” Black said.

“There’s a lot of work to be done.”