SBP still working on arrival of Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos for Gilas Pilipinas

With a little more than a month before Gilas Pilipinas slugs it out in the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on June 16, two of its young cornerstones in Kai Sotto and Dwight Ramos have yet to join the team.

According to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) special assistant to the president Ryan Gregorio, the federation is still arranging necessary documents in order for the two cadets to safely travel to the Philippines from the United States.

Gregorio said that there's no definite timeline yet as to when Sotto, the recent signee of Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League (NBL), and Ramos will join the nationals in their training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

"(We're) still completing health and safety protocols. Should be cleared soon. Still working on it," Gregorio told GMA News Online.

READ: Kai Sotto impressive in brief Gilas camp stint — Tab Baldwin

Once Sotto and Ramos are cleared to train, they will join a national pool composed of youthful stars in Matt and Mike Nieto, Isaac Go, and Rey Suerte along with this year's PBA special draftees in Jordan Heading, William Navarro, Tzaddy Rangel, and JD Tungcab.

SBP has also given invites to other rising cagers in Kemark Carino, Javi Gomez de Liano, Dave Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, Justine Baltazar, Jason Credo, Geo Chiu, Lebron Lopez, and naturalization candidate Ange Kouame.

Pressed for time, the nationals have tall tasks ahead of them.

They will face rival South Korea twice on June 16 and 20 while taking on Indonesia come June 19. Gilas, though, only needs to win one of these three assignments to advance to the next phase.

Meanwhile, East West Private management, the agency who handles the career of 7-foot-3 Sotto, assured that the Filipino tower will join the team despite a slight delay in the schedule.

"He'll be there," EWP said in a message. "We don't announce. We work with SBP to determine the right time."

—MGP, GMA News