PBA approves SBP request to include some TNT players in Gilas team for February window

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board of Governors on Friday gave the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) the green light to include some of the TNT Tropang Giga players at its disposal.

"I am very pleased to say that the PBA once again will adjust its schedule to allow some players from TNT to play with Gilas not only during the window but also during the practice. It was a unanimous decision of the board to support such a thing ," said Vargas in a press conference.

"We also discussed not only the February support for Gilas but we're also looking forward to continuing the support up to the World Cup in 2023."

SBP president Al Panlilio, who also serves as Meralco governor, bared that newly-reinstated Gilas head coach Chot Reyes has yet to identify the names from TNT camp who will bolster the national team's campaign.

Panlilio, though, mentioned that several Gilas members like Ange Kouame, Tzaddy Rangel, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, and Juan Gomez de Liaño are already in a bubble camp and noted that Reyes will evaluate and select the TNT players who can complement these cagers.

The national team is also expecting Dwight Ramos to arrive Friday night from Japan, where he currently suits up as import for the Toyama Grouses.

"Just to update you, we already have Ange Kouame, Tzaddy Rangel, Navarro, Tungcab, de Liaño inside the bubble where TNT is also in. We expect Dwight Ramos to arrive tonight. Chot will have to identify who from the TNT team will complement those players," Panlilio said.

The Philippines will face South Korea on February 24 before clashing with India on the 25th and New Zealand on the 27th at the Araneta Coliseum. But although already qualified to the World Cup owing to the hosting rights, Panlilio said Gilas is not taking the February window, as well as the other future competitions, lightly.

"I know we are qualified but we want to take all the windows seriously and all the tournaments. We have a very busy calendar for 2022, we have the windows, we have the SEA games, we have the FIBA Asia Cup, we have the Asian games, and we want to participate in all of those," Panlilio added.

—JMB, GMA News