Gilas faces Macau in tune-up match before FIBA Asia Cup

On July 28, Gilas Pilipinas Men will play a tune-up match against the Macau Black Bears at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum as part of their preparation for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup.

The game serves as a send-off for Gilas before they depart for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the tournament begins on August 7 and features teams in Group D: New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, and Iraq.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio emphasized that these tune-up games help the team prepare and give fans a chance to support Gilas before they leave.

Coach Tim Cone noted that the Macau Black Bears, coached by Garrett Kelly, will provide a challenging match as they recently topped The Asian Tournament in Cebu with standouts Omari Peek-Green, Cole Micek, and Seny N'Diaye, and also defeated China in a friendly last July.

Gilas aims to secure an outright quarterfinal berth by finishing at the top of their group; otherwise, they would battle for the top eight spots in crossover playoffs.

Despite seeking improvement from their ninth-place finish in the previous FIBA Asia Cup, Gilas Pilipinas will play without injured player Kai Sotto and with naturalized star Justin Brownlee leading the way.