MANILA — Basketball fans hope Gilas Pilipinas will hugely bank on its hometown advantage as the nationals face a dangerous Saudi Arabia side tomorrow (Monday, 29 August 2022) in the fourth window of the Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur (FIBA) World Cup Asia qualifiers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

But Pinoy fans who are highly hoping for a Gilas comeback are wondering if the team’s coach in Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) veteran hard-court strategist Vincent ‘Chot’ Reyes would field the same 12-man lineup against Saudi Arabia or squeeze in other hopefuls to score a victory this time.

Last Friday, August 26, the nationals absorbed a heartbreaking 85-81 loss against a taller and faster Lebanon Cedars squad on their home turf in Beirut, Lebanon.

Averaging 22 points per game, top-performing Fil-Am Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson and 2022 National Basketball League (NBL) Fans Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kai Sotto, efficiently played for the nationals but they simply came up short against the FIBA Asia Cup runner-up (Lebanon).

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio affirmed that everything really depends on the decision of the Gilas coaching staff if they would initiate a change in the lineup when the country hosts the Saudis for the last of the national squad’s two-game schedule for the August window.

“Chot might keep the same 12. But I (really) don’t know. It’s the coaches’ call on Monday,” Panlilio enthused.

As per the SBP, players who suited up for the national team in the game against Lebanon can be replaced by those initially included in the 24-man training pool.

“They can get from the 24 kung gugustuhin ng coaching staff,” SBP executive director and spokesperson Sonny Barrios cited.