00:00With just days remaining before Gilas Pilipinas resumes its campaign for the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers,
00:06health remains a concern for the national team.
00:09However, head coach Tim Cohn assured Filipino hoop fans that the national team will be prepared to compete on a high level come game time.
00:18Rafael Bandairel has more.
00:22Gilas Pilipinas aims to capitalize on their impressive stint at the Olympic qualifiers earlier this year as they are set to
00:30play in a couple of home games in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers this month.
00:36The national basketball team will take on New Zealand on November 21 and Hong Kong on November 24.
00:43However, Gilas could miss a few key players heading into the games.
00:48AJ Eddo's availability is in doubt after the 6'10 big man suffered a right knee injury earlier this month in the Japan B League.
00:56Kai Soto is also under observation as he's going through concussion protocols after taking a blow to the head, also in a game in the Japan B League.
01:06He's in the process of completing the concussion protocol, but from all indications, he will be available come game time upon completion of those protocols.
01:16Meanwhile, coach Tim Cohn confirmed that Jamie Malonzo will sit out the window two games, believing that the versatile forward isn't ready to jump right back in to action.
01:26Despite the injury concerns, Cohn assured the Gilas faithful that the team is locked in and ready to go, especially with naturalized player Justin Brownlee being extra motivated.
01:38I think you're going to see a really motivated Justin come into this New Zealand.
01:42I mean, he struggled.
01:44We all struggled in this series.
01:46And I mean, people started thinking, you know, he was having injuries or not.
01:50It was just a tough, long playoff going through Moralco and San Miguel.
01:56And then having to go against Tocantins and Ronday Hollis Jefferson, it was it was a tough road.
02:02And we kind of limped to the to the finish line.
02:06I think everybody saw us limping and and and assume that's the way we are at that, you know, generally.
02:13And we're not that.
02:14Rafael Bandairel from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
