Kouame named backup for Brownlee in FIBA Asia Cup

Ange Kouame has been named as a precautionary backup for Justin Brownlee in Gilas Pilipinas' roster for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers scheduled for November 21 and 24.

Despite being listed as a backup, Kouame remains an integral part of the team's preparation due to his familiarity with the system and understanding of what is expected from him.

Head coach Tim Cone emphasized that Brownlee remains the primary option for the naturalized player position, while Kouame will be ready to step in immediately if needed, and noted the importance of having Kouame available for training camps.

Kouame last played for Gilas Pilipinas when he and Brownlee led the team to recapture the Asian Games crown last year. The 6-foot-11 player would have been part of previous camps but was unavailable due to club commitments.

The 15-man pool also includes other familiar PBA stars such as Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, and CJ Perez among others, while the team is still waiting for naturalization prospect Bennie Boatwright who is recovering from an Achilles injury.