With June Mar Fajardo sidelined due to a calf injury, Gilas Pilipinas is making adjustments to its lineup for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, with Japeth Aguilar stepping in to fill the void.
Gilas head coach Tim Cone confirmed Fajardo’s unavailability for the games against Hong Kong on February 22 and Chinese-Taipei on February 25, citing the veteran center’s calf injury as the reason for his absence.
Aguilar, who was not initially part of the 12-man lineup selected by Cone for his four-year program, has been enlisted to replace AJ Edu, who is currently recovering from a knee injury.
“There’s no replacement for June Mar. Japeth is joining us as a replacement for AJ. We will go with 11 players,” Cone clarified.
The revised Gilas lineup includes Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Jamie Malonzo, Dwight Ramos, Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, Sotto, and Aguilar. The team recently concluded a four-day training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
In preparation for the Qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas will hold an open workout at the PhilSports Arena on Monday, serving as a send-off activity for the team’s opening campaign in the tournament.
“Hoping for a great practice tomorrow, 6 to 8 p.m. Open to the public, no tickets necessary,” Cone invited, expressing his hope to see fans in attendance to support the national team.
