Gilas battles Taiwan Mustangs in tune-up

EVEN without their top 3 foreign reinforcements, the Taiwan Mustangs are expected to give Gilas Pilipinas a competitive tune-up game Monday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

That's how Taiwan coach Chris Gavina would like to describe what Filipino fans can expect from the Mustangs, who won't have former NBA stars Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins as well as former Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Quinn Cook.

"Although we weren't able to bring Howard, Cousins, and Cook over to the Philippines for this tune-up against Gilas, Pinoy fans can still expect a very competitive game between Mustangs and Gilas," Gavina told The Manila Times.

"We knew that we would have to contend with their depth of talent so we've prepared double time knowing we would have to be extremely sharp going up against Gilas."

Howard and the Mustangs though are expected to join the Mustangs soon as the Taiwan ballclub prepares for the next leg of the fledgling Asian Tournaments this July.

Gavina said giving their 100 percent even if it's just a tune up game is the Mustangs' way of helping Gilas prepare for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament.

"For us, honestly, it's all about giving Gilas our best so we can be sure we help them get prepared the best we could for their upcoming preparation games leading to their Olympic qualifier games," shared Gavina, who prior to handling the Mustangs, handled the Taichung Suns in Taiwan's T1 League during the 2022-23 season.

Gavina said he expects nine-time PBA champion Alex Cabagnot to take the lead for the Mustangs, along with 7-foot-6 Maltese-Italian slotman Samuel Deguara and American forward Tevis Robinson against the Tim Cone-coached Philippines team.

"Alex and I are cut from the same cloth. His prove-them-wrong mindset is in direct alignment with my principles as a coach so having an individual with that much drive to prove something on the floor gives me as a coach great assurance that he will do what's needed of the team whether its his scoring, playmaking," shared the 45-year-old Filipino American mentor, who also served as Rain of Shine's head coach during the 2021 PBA season.

Other members of the Mustangs are former PBA shooting guard Rashawn McCarthy, Ethan Chung, Jeff Yan, Oscar Lopez, Geo Chiu, Joe Chen and Junxi Wang.

Gilas concluded its three-day training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna last Sunday.

After the tune-up game, Gilas leaves the following day for Europe where the national squad plays Turkey on June 27, followed by Poland on June 30 in a pair of friendly games.

The Philippines then kicks off its OQT stint on July 3 in Riga where Gilas plays host Latvia, followed by Georgia the next day.