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| Gilas is set to hold practices at the Inspire Sports Academy again. Kennelf Monteza (file photo) |
MAKATI—Gilas Pilipinas plans to hold the last stretch of its training for the Southeast Asian Games inside the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba City.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio confirmed the proposition on Tuesday during the formal presentation of San Miguel Beer as an official partner for the FIBA World Cup at the Makati Diamond Residences.
He added that with the PBA Governors' Cup Finals over already, coach Chot Reyes can now afford to summon the Gilas pool for daily practices.
"They start if I'm not mistaken tomorrow [Wednesday] and for the next three days, and then they go to Inspire before they leave for Cambodia," Panlilio said.
With a huge bunch of the pool fighting as rivals in the championship where TNT clinched its first-ever title in the season-ending conference by dethroning Ginebra in six games, Panlilio said that the Inspire training is an avenue for them to become one team this time.
"It's for the coaching staff and the players to come together, stay together for a few days, and build camaraderie," he further said.
With Gilas looking to reclaim the SEA Games men's 5x5 basketball gold they shockingly lost to Indonesia last year in Hanoi, Panlilio hopes that the upcoming practice sessions in Calamba would build the needed chemistry for them to win it all in Phnom Penh next month.
"Hopefully, when they go to battle, mas close sila as a team," Panlilio further said.
The Inspire Sports Academy was the primary venue of Gilas' training bubbles at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Panlilio, though, said that with everything virtually back to normal, Gilas' upcoming practice there will not be a full bubble and they can go in and out of the area.
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