Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone shared some good news as Kevin Quiambao is expected to be ready for the national team in their Doha pocket tournament and FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers window this month.
Kevin Quiambao is joining Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers later this month, according to coach Tim Cone.
Cone said the team already talked to Quiambao’s camp and got word he is good to go for the pocket tournament in Doha, Qatar from February. 14-16.
He will also suit up when Gilas visits Taiwan and New Zealand in the February window of the qualifiers from February. 20-23.
“Kevin is fine, we spoke to him. He’ll be with us in Doha and the trip,” Cone told reporters last Wednesday, January 29.
“He’s a guy we’ll take a look at, talk to the trainers and see if he needs load management as well.”
[RELATED STORY: Kevin Quiambao exits early due to apparent injury in KBL debut with Goyang Sono Skygunners]
Concerns arose after Quiambao injured his ankle right during his Korean Basketball League debut last January 12.
He played seven minutes before going down with the injury in Goyang Sono Skygunner’s 81-49 loss to Seoul SK Knights.
While expected to be out for about a month, the two-time UAAP MVP out of La Salle returned less than two weeks later, giving fans a ray of hope he could play for Gilas for the national team's February schedule.
[ALSO READ: Kevin Quiambao returns early from injury, but Goyang continues to stumble in KBL play]
Cone will need all hands on deck as Gilas already suffered a big blow after Kai Sotto suffered an ACL injury in January, leaving him out of commission for most of this year.
Sotto is ruled out of the Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia as he recovers from the knee injury.
[ALSO READ: Kai Sotto expected to be out for nine months to a year, says Tim Cone]
Among the guys the seasoned tactician expects to step up is the former La Salle star.
“Right now he’s telling us he’s ready to go, one hundred percent,” Cone said of KQ.