Gilas 3x3 to begin OQT preparations next week

THE Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 squad will begin its preparations for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) next week at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

"They're supposed to start bubble training next week,” said Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) vice chairman and Terrafirma Dyip governor Bobby Rosales.

"They have asked the permission of the teams if they can bring the players into their bubble at Inspire in Calamba next week.”

Terrafirma's Joshua Munzon, Meralco's Alvin Pasaol and San Miguel's CJ Perez and Mo Tautua will represent the Philippines in the OQT set from May 26 to 30 in Graz, Austria.

While their mother teams gave them permission to train for Gilas, Rosales said those ball clubs requested Munzon, Pasaol, Perez and Tautua join their respective teams once the PBA training resumes, whenever that will be.

With this, Rosales said the Gilas training will be moved to the National Capital Region (NCR) for the convenience of the national team.

“That should not be a problem when the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases allows practices. They will transfer the training to NCR so there should be no problem,”he said.

The nationals are grouped with the Dominican Republic, France, Slovenia and Qatar in the OQT.

They will leave for Graz a week before the tournament.