Gilas Pilipinas naturalized players Jordan Clarkson, Justin Brownlee, and Ange Kouame. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file
MANILA -- Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson and naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame are all included in the 21-man pool for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup 2023.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) released the pool late Tuesday night, with the national team expected to reconvene soon and ramp up their preparations for the World Cup.
The pool features a mix of PBA veterans and overseas-based players, including NBA hopeful Kai Sotto who recently inked a contract extension with the Hiroshima Dragonflies of the B.League.
Other B.League stars in the pool are Dwight Ramos, Kiefer Ravena, Jordan Heading, Thirdy Ravena, Carl Tamayo, and Ray Parks Jr.
Rhenz Abando, who recently helped Anyang KGC win a championship in his first season in the Korean Basketball League, is also in the pool along with University of Toledo center AJ Edu.
The PBA veterans are: Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Roger Pogoy, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, Poy Erram, June Mar Fajardo, and Calvin Oftana.
Gilas Pilipinas took a two-week break after their campaign in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, where they beat host nation Cambodia to regain the gold and re-establish supremacy in the region.
The team is reportedly set to train in Europe, with tune-up games against Estonia, Finland, and other European teams in their plans.
The Philippines will play Italy, Angola, and the Dominican Republic in the group stage of the World Cup.
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