Manila: Gilas Pilipinas arrived in Aichi Prefecture on Monday, four days ahead of the basketball competition in the 20th Nagoya Asian Games. The team is set to compete in Pool C alongside Bahrain, Kazakhstan, and China, the latter of which they defeated in the semifinals of the previous Asiad in Hangzhou.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines is scheduled to face Bahrain on September 11, followed by Kazakhstan on September 12, and China on September 14. The team aims to learn from their recent defeats against the Korean national team during the Suwon friendlies, with scores of 55-81 and 42-69. The focus remains on retaining the gold medal.

Head Coach Tim Cone is optimistic about the team's readiness for the opening game against Bahrain on Friday, expressing confidence in the team's ability to come together. "Me and our staff will be better, and we'll be better in helping our players prepare for what's ahead," said Cone in a news release by the Philippine Basketball Association.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, a key player, emphasized the importance of team cohesion, stating, "We're still building, we're still processing as a team. It may not click right away, but when it clicks, hopefully it's at the right time and we'll be able to have a good finish here."

The Gilas coaching staff has noted that Bahrain will include naturalized player JaKarr Sampson, while China will be led by veteran player Hu Jingiu. Notably, NBA sophomore Yang Hansen will not participate for China, as the Chinese Basketball Association has opted not to call players competing in the NBA and Women's NBA for the Asiad, prioritizing their development in high-level overseas leagues.

"We cannot take any team for granted," stated Gilas deputy coach Richard Del Rosario. "So we started preparations and scouting, those things."