Gilas Pilipinas invited as guest team in upcoming PBA Philippine Cup

Gilas Pilipinas has been invited to play in the upcoming Philippine Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association's 46th season.

In a meeting on Monday, the PBA Board of Governors suggested to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio the possibility of Gilas joining the league's first conference, which they are targeting to play by April.

"Sinabi ng board na sumali sana 'yung Gilas sa first conference natin. Guest team na puwede mag-champion," PBA Commissioner Wille Marcial said in a phone call with GMA News Online.

The league commissioner also said the proposal could work if Gilas has no training or tournament by that time.

"By August, may [FIBA] window na sila e. Sinasabi sa proposal na basta wala silang training, wala sila sa competition, baka puwede sila sumali sa PBA," said Marcial.

In the same meeting, Marcial said SBP plans to get three to five players in the special Gilas round from the draft.

This is not the first time that the national team will get to play as a guest team in the PBA. Back in 2011, Gilas, under then head coach Rajko Toroman, competed in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. —MGP, GMA News