TIM CONE will be working with a pool of 16 players-instead of 12-for the 2027 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asian Qualifiers that start this November.
‘The [16-member] pool gives Coach Tim [Cone] a buffer for any.but hopefully not injuries to our players,’ Samahand Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al S. Panlilio said on Thursday.
Three players-who Panlilio and Cone called ‘logical adds’-are RJ Abarrientos, 6-foot-11 Ange Kouame and Quentin Millora-Brown with Kai Sotto being the pool’s 16th member but is still recovering from his injury.
Abarrientos, according to Panlilio who’s known by his alias ASP, is not a surprise addition because he’s been practicing with Gilas and is Cone’s point guard at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Millora-Brown, or QMB, Panlilio said, is also a welcome addition to the pool, while Kouame is an able backup to Justin Brownlee as a naturalized player.
‘We know that the Asian qualifiers are a tough competition,’ Panlilio said.
‘QMB’s a no-brainer, of course. And RJ and Kouame have been practicing with us since the last window. So, they are all ‘logical adds,” Cone said.
There are four groups in the Asian Qualifiers-the Philippines is with Guam, Australia and New Zealand in Pool A-and the top three will be advancing further in the event.
With Brownlee in the pool are AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Kevin Quiambao, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo.
Millora-Brown is a 6-foot-10 former University of the Philippines big man who’s playing for the Macau Black Bears in the East Asia Super League.
Kouame was in Cone’s team that won the gold medal in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games two years ago.
Gilas travels to Guam on November 28 and will host the same team on December 1 and plays at home against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1.