Gilas Pilipinas Enters Calamba Bubble

From a bubble in Manama, Bahrain to another bubble in Clark next month, Gilas Pilipinas is bouncing from one bubble to the other.

And prior to the Clark bubble for the third window of the 2021 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup qualifiers, the national team has started entering another bubble in Calamba, Laguna- inside the Inspire Sports Academy.

Leading the first of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players who are looking to resume national team duties is Kiefer Ravena who even posted his entry to the Calamba bubble on his Instagram story. Aside from the Phenom, players who suited up in the Bahrain bubble are set to enter the bubble training. Leading the training pool are Isaac Go, Will Navarro, Dave Ildefonso, Matt, and Mike Nieto, Juan, and Javi Gomez de Liano. Rey Suerte, Justine Baltazar, Calvin Oftana, Kenmark Carino, and Angelo Kouame are expected to join the training pool. Kouame's naturalization process is still up in the air. 

Gilas Pilipinas is headed by Coach Jong Uichico and will be joined anew by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Program Director Tab Baldwin. Also set to join the coaching staff are PBA coaches Norman Black and Caloy Garcia of the Meralco Bolts and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters respectively. Ateneo Blue Eagles Assistant Coach Sandy Arespacochaga and San Beda Red Lions Coach Boyet Fernandez are also included in the coaching staff for this training pool.

For the third window of the 2021 Asia Cup qualifiers, the schedule is heavy for Gilas Pilipinas as they are set to play against Korea twice and another game against Indonesia. Should the Filipinos win one game in that window, that will book Gilas' berth in the FIBA Asia Cup.   

Photo is from ESPN