GILAS Pilipinas is trying load management in series of tune-ups.
Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone is prioritizing rest and recovery for young big man AJ Edu and naturalized player Justin Brownlee as the national team prepares for a week-long training camp and several friendlies in Doha, Qatar, starting February 13.
Both players will be placed on load management during the camp, with Cone emphasizing the importance of not overextending them ahead of more crucial international matches.
Edu, the 6-foot-10 center, has been sidelined by a knee injury that kept him out during the second leg of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers last year.
Cone shared that Edu’s participation in the friendly games will be limited, with the plan being for him to play only two of the three games during the camp.
The team’s cautious approach is meant to manage Edu’s recovery while giving him enough time on the court to regain his rhythm.
“AJ is really the target for this camp. We felt he needed more games before we play FIBA Asia in August,” said Cone. “That’s part of what we’re looking at. We’re excited about bringing AJ into the fold.”
The 25-year-old Edu, who arrived in the Philippines last November to join Gilas for the second leg of the Asia Cup qualifiers, has yet to make his competitive debut for the national team due to the injury he sustained while playing for Nagasaki Velca in Japan’s B.League.
Despite participating in a closed-door training camp in Laguna, Edu missed Gilas’ wins over New Zealand and Hong Kong, as his knee issue kept him on the sidelines.
As for Brownlee, who has been in the thick of action for the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA, Cone also has plans to manage his minutes carefully.
“Justin will play limited minutes in one of the games. We’ll try to load manage guys, so that they’ll be a little fresh for Taiwan and New Zealand,” Cone explained.
The national team will face the national teams of Qatar, Lebanon, and Egypt in Doha before heading into the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in February.