HANDA na ang Gilas Pilipinas Youth Team at umaasa si coach Sandy Arespacochaga na makakapagensayo ang koponan na kompleto ang players isang linggo bago tumulak patungong Doha, Qatar para sa 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.

Dumating na mula sa Nike All-Asia Camp sa China ang pambato ng Nazareth School of National University na sina Carl aTamayo, Gerry Abadiano at Terrence Fortea.

“We expect them to be back,” pahayag ni Arespacochaga.

Nakalinya ang ensayo ng koponan nitong Miyerkules.

Pangungun ahan ang kopona ng pambatong ‘Twin Towers’ nina Kai Sotto at AJ Edu. Target ng koponan na makausad sa global youth tournament na nakatakda sa Heraklion, Greece.

Inaasahang magbibigay ng dagdag na lakas sa frontline si Fil-Italian Dalph Panopio. Tutulak patungong Qatar ang Gilas sa Hunyo 21.

Kasama rin sa koponan sina Dave Ildefonso, Rhayyan Amsali, Geo Chiu, Bismarck Lina, James Spencer, Migs Oczon, Xyrus Torres at Joshua Ramirez. Kabilang naman sa Under-17 pool sina Steve Nash Enriquez, Harold Alarcon, Aaron Buensalida, Renzo Abrica, Jynno Ladimo, Joshua Cajucom, Jacob Cortez at Kenji Canete.

Kumpiyansa si Arespacochaga sa kampanya ng Gilas na napabilang sa Group C kasama ang Argentina, Russia at host Greece.

“We feel the pressure to prepare well against our opponents because we’ve got strong opponents. In a way, that’s good because it forces us to have excellent practices and that pushes us to do better each time in practice,” aniya.

“That’s a good kind of pressure that hopefully, will help these guys get to the next level in terms of them playing individually and also together as a team.”