Gilas-Thailand Game Postponed due to COVID-19

If you are among those fans who have already purchased tickets or who are still planning to purchase tickets for the home game of Gilas Pilipinas against Thailand on February 20, you might want to hold your horses down.

As part of the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, the national team, coached by interim Coach Mark Dickel, is slated to play against Thailand next week, and then fly to Indonesia for a road game against the Indonesians on the 23rd. However, with the way things are going right now, it looks like the Philippine team will be only the road game against Indonesia. 

Due to the Department of Health's urging the public to avoid attending, participating in, and organizing big events that are likely to attract big crowds- due to the threat of the 2019 Novel Corona Virus or (COVID-19), FIBA has officially announced that the game between our national team and Thailand- which is set to be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, is already canceled and will be moved to a new playing date by FIBA. On the other hand, the game between the Philippines and Indonesia on February 23 will proceed as scheduled- that is according to the SBP.

Then again, there's a silver lining in this cancelation.

For one, it will give the team more time to prepare as the training pool that was assembled just last month, has been hit with injuries of key players, among other setbacks. In other words, the cancelation of the Thailand game next should give the national team more opportunities to improve their current situation. 

Photo is from Philippine Star