ni MC @Sports | April 4, 2024
Bilang tugon na rin sa 'di maiwasang kakulangan ng players nitong nakaraan, inanunsiyo ni national coach Tim Cone ang pagdaragdag sa team ng 6'9" Barangay Ginebra Kings veteran Japeth Aguilar at mas batang 6'7" Fil-Australian Mason Amos para sa overall Gilas Pilipinas Men's program pool.
“We're excited that Mason [Amos] and Japeth [Aguilar] agreed to be our alternates on Gilas,” saad ni Cone nitong Lunes, Abril 1.
“The first window showed us that we were a little thin in our lineup after AJ Edu, June Mar [Fajardo] and Jamie [Malonzo] missed our game vs. Chinese Taipei due to injuries, and we were left with only nine players and only Japeth as a replacement to make 10. So now, Japeth and Mason will practice and travel with the original 12 and be ready to step in if the need arises. If we lose one of our bigs, Japeth will step in. If any of the others, Mason will fill the hole. Mason, too, because of his youth, projects as one of the regulars over time.”
Si Aguilar, ay isa sa miyembro ng gold medal-winning Philippine team noong Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 at last-minute stand-in para sa injured na si AJ Edu sa FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers kontra Hong Kong at Chinese Taipei noong Pebrero 2024, habang si Amos ang Ateneo Blue Eagle star at dating Gilas U18 stalwart ang magpupuno sa long-term Gilas program pool at magsisilbing backup kung kinakailangan para sa official 12-man team kasama si Cone para sa Olympic Qualifying Tournament sa Europe sa kaagahan ng Hulyo.
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