Gilas Pilipinas will get to test its chemistry and level of competitiveness as it takes on the Manawatu Jets in a tune-up match Sunday in New Zealand.

Fresh off a training camp in Australia, the Filipinos battle the Jets at the Fly Palmy Arena in Manawatū-Whanganui Region as part of their preparation for the third window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier against New Zealand and Australia.

Game time of the match, which is almost sold out according to the club’s website, is set at 1 p.m. (9 a.m. Manila time).

Head coach Tim Cone is upbeat about the development of the team, especially with the integration of new faces Mike Phillips and Justine Baltazar.

The two big men will have huge shoes to fill with 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto and 6-foot-11 Quentin Millora-Brown unavailable for Gilas’ road games.

The Brisbane training camp has given Gilas an opportunity to absorb Cone’s system and for the players to build familiarity.

“We’re looking forward to how we blend together,” Cone said.

Gilas, which left for Wellington on Saturday, will get a feel of competition against the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL) club.

Manawatu is currently in the ongoing 2026 NBL season and is the club of Tall Blacks member Tai Webster and former New Zealand national squad veteran Corey Webster.

Cone hinted at the possibility of resting naturalized player Justin Brownlee in the friendly to give the team’s main gunner a little more time to rest.

The 38-year-old Brownlee did most of the heavy lifting in Barangay Ginebra’s title conquest in the Philippine Basketball Association Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup just a couple of weeks back.

Hoping to end a two-game losing skid, Gilas left Manila last Tuesday for a training camp in Brisbane not only to work on its game but also to acclimatize to the cold weather.

“I like the way the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) has set it up for us in terms of being able to go down to Brisbane and acclimatize ourselves to the weather a little bit,” Cone said.

“Get a camp down there and then play a couple of friendlies against pro New Zealand teams. I think that’s really good preparation for us.”

Gilas will take on the Franklin Bulls on Tuesday at the Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre in Pukekohe.

The Nationals will have two more days of preparation after their friendlies before their clash against host New Zealand on 3 July.

Gilas suffered a 66-69 loss to the Tall Blacks in the second window back in February in front of its home crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Philippines has dropped four straight meetings with the Kiwis since a breakthrough upset two years ago.

Gilas scored a 93-89 upset over the Tall Blacks in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifier second window back on 21 November 2024.

Cone’s crew will square off against the Boomers on 6 July to close the third window.

Australia leads Group A with an unbeaten 4-0 win-loss record followed by New Zealand and Gilas, which are tied at 2-2, while Guam is winless in four starts.