10 PBA players complete Gilas pool

Gilas will travel to Beirut to battle Lebanon on August 26 (Philippine time) and will quickly return home to host Saudi Arabia in Pasay City on August 29. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – Ten Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) stars have been added to the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ).

Completing the pool, according to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas on Tuesday night, are Meralco’s Chris Newsome, Allein Maliksi, and Raymond Almazan; San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez; Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, and Arvin Tolentino; NorthPort’s Robert Bolick; and Terrafirma’s Roosevelt Adams.

The pool now has 24 members.

However, it is expected that the Gilas pool would be trimmed down immediately by Wednesday night as the Bolts and the Beermen will dispute the last seat in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said the teams that will make the championship series would be excused from lending players to national team duties as the fourth window of the WCQ falls within the period of the finals.

Gilas will travel to Beirut to battle Lebanon on August 26 (Philippine time) and will quickly return home to host Saudi Arabia in Pasay City on August 29.

Interestingly enough, Reyes’ PBA team, TNT, also made the finals, although he said on Sunday night after eliminating Magnolia in the semifinals that Gilas would be his priority.

Already announced to be included were Kai Sotto, Jordan Clarkson, Kevin Alas, Calvin Oftana, Jamie Malonzo, Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Ray-Ray Parks, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, Jio Jalalon, Ian Sangalang, and LeBron Lopez.

Jalalon and Sangalang were expected to attend Gilas’ Tuesday night closed-door training at the Meralco Gym in Pasig City.

Meanwhile, Sotto is expected to return home from Australia on August 18 and Clarkson will arrive the next day.