Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila. Photo from FIBA Basketball.MANILA — Rhenz Abando has another opportunity to take flight with Gilas Pilipinas after two years.
A member of the 2023 FIBA World Cup group, the high-flying wingman out of Santo Tomas, La Union will have the chance to join the National team anew as he was recently included in the 2025 Asia Cup pool.
"Sobrang happy na naging part ulit ako ng Gilas pool,” the Colegio de San Juan de Letran product said at the sidelines of Strong Group-Pilipinas’ media availability on Wednesday in Manila.
Abando, together with Zav Lucero, RJ Abarrientos, and Troy Rosario, was included in the pool from which the Final 12 will be chosen, and the 6-foot-2 guard expressed how he will be pouring it all in to secure his spot.
READ: When will new additions Rhenz Abando, Zav Lucero join Gilas training?
“Gagawin ko lahat,” he said, before expressing how he did not even think twice of accepting the call to don the country’s Blue, Red, and White.
“Bakit ko pa pagde-desisyunan yun? Gilas na yun eh,” he emphasized. “Hindi naman nasagasaan yung sa SGA, at open naman sila. ‘Di ko na yun pag-iisipan.”
Asked when he will be joining the team, Abando said that it is highly likely to be after Strong Group's upcoming stint in the 2025 William Jones Cup.
“Tatawagan raw nila ako kapag kailangan na nila ako sa practice,” he said.
For now, his focus is on helping SGA defend the crown that the squad took home in the 2024 edition, and helping him with this goal is his former Gilas teammate Kiefer Ravena.
“Kasama ko siya lagi, pero inside the court, sobrang happy ko kasi sobrang dami ko sa kanyang natututunan,” shared Abando. “Off the court, marami din naman, at talagang masarap siyang kasama at kakampi.”
SGA-Philippines will open its Jones Cup title defense against Chinese-Taipei A on July 13 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan. -- with reports from Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
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