Gilas Pilipinas to face Taiwan Mustangs in send-off game

Gilas Pilipinas will play a tune-up game against the Taiwan Mustangs on June 24 at the Philsports Arena, serving as their send-off event before heading to Europe for further preparation.

The Taiwan Mustangs team reportedly includes former NBA players Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins, though their participation in the game is unconfirmed.

This exhibition match is part of Gilas Pilipinas' buildup for the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers, where they are grouped with host Latvia and Georgia.

The national team is currently undergoing a three-day camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba.

Following the game against the Mustangs, Gilas Pilipinas will fly to Europe to play tune-up games against Turkey and Poland.

The 12-man Gilas Pilipinas roster for the qualifiers includes naturalized player Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, June Mar Fajardo, Calvin Oftana, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, and Mason Amos.

Pool members Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu are expected to miss the OQT due to injuries, with Japeth Aguilar and Mason Amos filling their spots.