Doha Games A Chance to Integrate Edu, Malonzo with Gilas - Opportunity Knocks for Coach Cone

Title Doha Games A Chance to Integrate Edu, Malonzo with Gilas - Opportunity Knocks for Coach Cone

The Philippines' men's national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, is set to embark on a crucial trip to Doha, Qatar from February 13, ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand. This series of friendlies presents an ideal opportunity for Coach Tim Cone to integrate previously injured players AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo with the team.

Coach Cone views these three tune-up games in Doha as essential preparation for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, which will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The games will provide a chance for Edu and Malonzo to regain their form after recovering from knee and calf injuries, respectively. We're not certain of how many preparation days we'll have in August, so this Doha trip will be an opportunity to integrate the previously injured guys and play games with them, Coach Cone explained.

The Qatar games will also give Gilas an opportunity to adjust to playing without key player Kai Sotto, who recently underwent surgery to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Sotto is expected to miss the rest of the year, but Coach Cone remains optimistic about his young center's recovery. He'll be out for maybe a year. But, he's young. Twenty-two. If you're going to have it, now's the time, Coach Cone said.

Gilas Pilipinas Program Director and Team Manager Alfrancis Chua sees the Qatar games as an opportunity to train further for the Qualifiers and start making adjustments knowing Sotto won't be available come Asia Cup. We'll use this as part of our training for Chinese Taipei and New Zealand, especially now that Kai won't be able to play, said Chua.

The integration of Edu and Malonzo with the rest of the team will allow them to focus on their individual performances and gel as a cohesive unit. With Gilas already having qualified for the FIBA Asia Cup, the focus is now on preparing for the tournament and the upcoming Qualifiers.

Keywords Doha Games, Gilas Pilipinas, Coach Tim Cone, AJ Edu, Jamie Malonzo, Kai Sotto, FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

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