For Justin Brownlee, Exhibition Game Versus Macau A Test For Gilas Pilipinas Ahead Of FIBA Asia Cup

Gilas Pilipinas is set to clash with the visiting Macau Black Bears in an exhibition game on Monday, July 28, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The hoops event serves as a send-off for the national team before they fly to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the FIBA Asia Cup.

Gilas Pilipinas naturalized import Justin Brownlee felt good about how the preparations were going ahead of the FIBA tournament. Brownlee gave credit to coach Tim Cone for motivating them to be in game shape and work on their chemistry every day, after being away from each other for a few months.

"It's going good, man. I like the way practices have been going. Coach Tim [Cone] has been doing a really good job of putting us to work and getting the offense, you know, getting off down path, getting chemistry back together," Brownlee said with a smile after the team's practice session at the Upper Deck Gym on Thursday. "We've been away from each other for a few months, so it's good. Just getting back with each other, and just trying to, you know, get better and working hard every day."

With the exhibition match just around the corner, Brownlee is excited to come out and play at Smart Araneta Coliseum on July 28. Facing a formidable team like the Macau Black Bears will prove to be a test for Gilas Pilipinas of how prepared they are for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup in August.

"To be honest, I don't really know too much about the current team that they have, but just seeing the team that they have put together in the past, you know, it's definitely a very respectable opponent, and I guess a company or organization that has always put out a great team or a good team. I'm not sure a great team, but I know for sure, a good team," the Gilas Pilipinas import shared. "So I'm excited to, you know, go up there and or come out, and test out, you know, just to see where we at. You know, we've been out for a few months as far as uh, away from each other as a team. So it's good to just, you know, see what we are at, as a team, and how our chemistry is, and how well we can, I guess, how well we are prepared to see how well we can do in the [FIBA] Asia cup."

Brownlee hopes to put on a show for the fans, as the national team will give their all and their "puso" versus the Macau Black Bears on Monday.

"Make sure you come check us out on the 28th, hopefully we put on a good show for you guys and entertain," Brownlee said. "Thank you for your support, and we're going to give it all our heart, our puso, give it all our puso. So, thank you guys for always supporting us."