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By REYNALD MAGALLON
Gilas Pilipinas is taking its first acid check in opposition to a formidable Lebanon squad when it opens its FIBA Asia Cup 2022 marketing campaign Wednesday on the Istora Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The youth-laden nationwide workforce is testing its mettle in opposition to a Lebanese-side which in response to coach Chot Reyes, has been enjoying their finest basketball of late. Tip-off of the match is at 9 p.m. (Manila time).
Out to guide the cost for the Filipinos are the B.League imports Thirdy Ravena, Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks Jr. as they be a part of arms with a Gilas core that featured younger weapons in Korea-bound gamers RJ Abarrientos, SJ Belangel and Will Navarro together with Geo Chiu, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo and Francis Lopez. JP Erram would be the lone PBA name up within the roster as naturalized middle Ange Kouame stays on the sick bay with a knee damage
Additionally notably lacking within the squad is Dwight Ramos who after being named within the Gilas’ remaining roster, needed to beg off as a consequence of a leg damage. Good factor, the FIBA technical committee authorised the alternative of Rhenz Abando yesterday.
Lebanon, then again, will probably be led by 6-foot-9 middle Ali Haidar and 6-foot-4 guards Sergio El Darwich and Wael Arakji. The trio has been displaying the way in which for Lebanon within the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Haidar, one of many remnants of the Lebanese workforce that noticed motion within the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Doha, Qatar has embraced the management function for the squad averaging 11.7 factors and 6.5 rebounds.
Darwich and Arakji, in the meantime, have offered a potent again courtroom for Lebanon averaging 11.2 factors and three.7 assists and 15.5 factors and 4.2 rebounds respectively.
Additionally value keeping track of within the recreation in opposition to Lebanon is its 6-foot-9 naturalized middle Jonathan Aldrege who averaged 11.5 factors and 7 rebounds per recreation within the qualifiers.
Within the head-to-head, Gilas cut up its final two conferences in opposition to Lebanon with the Filipinos taking an 82-70 win within the 2015 version earlier than the Lebanese exacted their revenge with a 106-87 drubbing of the PH bets in 2017.
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