The Preparation Continues for Gilas After Thailand Game Cancelation

As it turns out, it's business as usual for Gilas Pilipinas.

A day after their scheduled home game against Thailand next week got canceled by FIBA due to the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, work continues for the national team under interim Coach Mark Dickel. In fact, they held practice Valentine's Day as 19 players were present during the practice session but only 17 participated in the drills with Kobe Paras and Marc Pingris, both nursing their respective injuries. Now that's commitment to the cause. 

And speaking of Gilas practice, Abu Tratter of the Alaska Aces was able to join the session and on his first day with this version of the national team, Abu Tratter has left a lasting impression on Mark Dickel who was impressed by Tratter's vast improvement just one year into his PBA career. While this isn't Tratter's first time in the national team, the fact that Gilas will be without two of their key big men gives Tratter an opportunity to once again, represent the Philippines and even Mark Dickel admitted that if Tratter continues to perform well in the last few practices heading into the Indonesia game, it would make the coaching staff's work of forming a final 12 roster more difficult than already it is. 

The nationals don't seem pressured by the postponement of the Thailand game which is originally their first game of the first window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers as they are focusing instead on their road game against Indonesia which is scheduled on February 23. 

Indonesia, being the same team that Gilas, then coached by Tim Cone during the 30th SEA Games last year, faced.  The same team that was tagged as a team to watch in the said tournament and the same team being coached by Rajko Toroman, one of the earliest head coaches of Gilas Gilipinas since its inception. And knowing Toroman as an experienced coach in international competitions, Mark Dickel said that the national team could use a few extra days in preparation for the Indonesia game. One way or another, that could be the difference.

At first, Mark Dickel admitted that the postponement of the home game against Thailand was "obviously disappointing" as it would have been awesome to see the national team play in front of a raucous home crowd. Then again, an extra few days to prepare, regardless of the circumstances, is a welcome development for any national team of any country. And this could bode well for a country who is set to host the FIBA World Cup in 2023. 

Stating that they had no control over the postponement of the Thailand game and when it's going to be rescheduled, Dickel pointed out that he's focusing on preparing the team for Indonesia and then, when the Thailand game schedule is out, the team would be ready to go. 

Photo is from ABS CBN News