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| Justin Brownlee is part of Gilas' "entry by name" list to the Asian Games. Dennis Acosta (file photo) |
MANILA—As it stands, Justin Brownlee will complete Gilas Pilipinas' Asian Games team.
In the shortlist of athletes provided by the Philippine Olympic Committee on Monday, the Ginebra resident import is part of the 12-man lineup for Gilas' quest for back-to-back men's 5x5 basketball gold.
A POC official clarified that the shortlist is the "entry by name" given by the sports body to the Asian Games organizing committee on Friday and not exactly the final list of athletes who will actually play.
The final entry list will be established during the technical meeting on Wednesday, one day before the start of the men's 5x5 basketball tournament on Thursday.
While this implies Kai Sotto can still be sneaked in if Brownlee remains unavailable, head coach Tim Cone ruled out the possibility of bringing in the seven-foot-three beanpole due to "other plans," as he told The Manila Times' Richard Dy.
Sotto was reportedly denied of regaining his amateur status so he could play college ball for Texas A&M in the US NCAA.
If Brownlee, who sat out three consecutive Gilas games in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers due to lingering leg injuries, stays out, the national team could enter the Asian Games with only 11 players.
Gilas will open its title defense on Friday against Bahrain at the IG Arena in Aichi, Japan.
