MANILA – Basketball fans can catch the upcoming games of the Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers live on a local streaming app.

Smart Communications announced that it will be airing the qualifiers through its GigaPlay app.

The 11-man national basketball team, composed of Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, SJ Belangel, Geo Chiu, Lebron Lopez, William Navarro, Dave Ildefonso, Rhenz Abando, and Kevin Quiambao are all set to face the tough New Zealand on June 30.

Gilas will face the higher seeded NZ at 3:30 p.m. at the EventFinda Stadium in Auckland.

Meanwhile, the Philippine basketball team will return to Manila on July 3, 7 p.m., to battle India for another game.

“We are a hundred percent behind the whole Gilas team as they take a step closer to our end goal: to be able to make our country proud. This is also an important window for us as we are preparing to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023 with Japan and Indonesia,” said Al Panlilio, PLDT and Smart President and CEO.

Panlilio also serves as the chairman of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 local organizing committee, second vice president of FIBA Asia Central Board, and president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

“As a basketball-loving nation, we are here to enable our customers cheer for Gilas Pilipinas even when they are on the go and on their mobile phones,” added Francis Flores, head of Consumer Business Group – Individual at Smart.

The games will be streamed free of streaming charges for a limited time on the GigaPlay App.

The coverage of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers adds to GigaPlay App's lineup of sporting events such as UAAP, NBA, PBA, PVL, and VNL games.