JB and JMF will likely take the spotlight as Gilas tries to avenge its August 2022 loss to Lebanon.
On Friday night, Gilas Pilipinas will be facing a tough Lebanon squad in the sixth and final window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
While the match won’t have implications on either team’s qualification to the grand stage, it will serve as a much-needed run for a Gilas team that is welcoming new stars into the fold.
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is set to make his debut for Team Philippines, and this game will be a good test for the Barangay Ginebra import, according to coach Chot Reyes.
“We just want to know how he's going to fit in with what we want to do as a team and how he's going to fit in with his other teammates,” Reyes said on One News’ The Big Story. “Kasi siyempre, iba 'yung he's with his regular team, 'yung Ginebra. Kumbaga, magkaka-amuyan na sila eh [pero] dito natin makikita pa lang if they will be as cohesive as we want.”
Another player who's most likely to attract attention in the match versus Lebanon is June Mar Fajardo. The six-time PBA MVP is returning to national team duties after recovering from a throat surgery.
This will be Fajardo's first stint with Gilas since the 2022 Southeast Asian Games, where the RP squad finished a dismal second.
“Siyempre si June Mar, coming off his injury, he's been playing well in the PBA, but again, the FIBA game, the international game is very different from the pro game. We want to see also how he will play,” said Reyes.
Reyes added that this will also be the first time that Fajardo will be playing alongside some of Gilas’ top stars.
“This is the first time June Mar is going to play with Scottie Thompson, for example, and Dwight Ramos, so those are the things na gusto natin makita,” said Reyes.
Both Gilas and the Cedars have already booked a ticket to the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but with the preparation goals of the national team, this game is hardly looking like a no-bearing game for coach Chot.
And they are ready to give it their all.
"I have gotten into a lot of trouble for saying that (no-bearing) in the past. I will not make the same mistake. We’re preparing to put our best foot forward," he said.
Gilas faces Lebanon at 6 p.m. You can catch the game live on TV5, with a replay on One Sports at 8 p.m.