PH team to play tuneup game vs Meralco

THE Philippine team will play a tune-up game with Meralco on Friday as part of its preparation for the last and sixth window of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asian qualifiers in Doha, Qatar on Saturday.

“We are playing on Friday 10 in the morning. As of this morning, everything is okay. It’s just a tune-up game. Just get into the rhythm, get into the flow of things. And for us, it will be a tune-up game to stay in shape because we’ll have a long break,” said PH Team manager Paolo Trillo.

Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said this would serve as the only tune-up game for the national team after the supposed tune-up game against San Miguel Alab Pilipinas last week was cancelled.

Meralco is presently holding a 2-3 win-loss record in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.

Meanwhile, naturalized Andray Blatche will miss the Meralco tune up game, as he already left for China on Monday. He will be joining the Philippine team in Doha on the 16th.

“Andray ( Blatche) won’t be joining us in the tune- up game on Friday. But the good thing is we have a tune- up game,” said Arespacochaga.

Philippine team head coach Yeng Guiao said Blatche’s lack of tune-up games poses no problem.

“So far, everything is positive. Our concern is his availability and fitness. He satisfactorily passed and we have to practice with him when we arrive in Doha,” said Guiao, adding that they would name the final 12 players on Friday.

The Philippine team will meet Qatar on February 21 at the Al-Gharafa sports club multi-purpose hall in Doha before heading to Astana to face Kazakhstan on the 24th at the Republican Velodrome Saryarka.

The Philippine men’s basketball team, holding a 5-5 win-loss record for No. 4, needs to sweep its two remaining games in Group F to qualify for the World Cup tournament in China on August 31 to September 15.

Guiao is still optimistic despite two consecutive defeats in the fifth window against Kazakhstan (88-92) on November 30 and Iran (70-78) on December 3 both at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Japan (6-4) will face Iran (7-3) also on February 21. Iran will meet Australia (9-1) while Qatar (2-8) will battle Japan on the 24th.