For the first time since 2010, the Philippines national team, Gilas Pilipinas, could play in the Philippine Cup. If the proposal works, the PH national basketball team could be featured in 8-10 games throughout the tournament.
The possibility to play in the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) Philippine Cup depends on the national team’s training schedule and opening dates of the tournament. PBA Commissioner Willie Marcel told the media that they want the national team to be a regular competitor who could one day be the Philippine Cup champion.
Inclusion in the Philippine Cup would be excellent training for the national team’s upcoming events, including the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. If the National team does get included in the Philippine Cup, they will play in the curtain-raisers of triple headers in tune-up games against competing PBA teams.
The Philippine Cup is usually held in January but is currently being targeted to begin in either May or June due to the ongoing pandemic. The Philippines has been hit especially hard by COVID, and the Metro Manila area was recently under government restrictions.
Betting on Basketball
Online sportsbooks offer odds on PBA basketball and other leagues worldwide, including the NBA, CBA, and FIBA. Online you will find there are numerous ways to bet on basketball, including money line odds, futures, props, and more.
Banking options commonly used by reputable Philippine online sportsbooks include everything from cryptocurrency to credit and debit cards. Bitcoin is the most popular banking option for Filipino bettors due to its ease of use and fast processing times.
Betting on the Gilas Pilipinas national basketball team usually only happens when the Olympics or the SEA games occur. Still, if they get included in the Philippine Cup this year, it will add some excitement to bettors who like to bet on the Pilipinas.
The PBA 2021 season is currently on hold due to the COVID outbreak, but the 2021 PBA Draft was held virtually on March 14th, 2021. Once the start date for the season opener (Philippine Cup) is announced, the national team will decide whether they can be included in this year’s tournament.
