With the groupings for the 2019 FIBA World Cup over and done with, all teams are now scrambling to prepare. The Philippine national team, Gilas Pilipinas, finds itself in a tough bracket with the likes of Italy, Serbia, and Angola in Group D - meaning the Filipinos will have their work cut out for them in China.

Regardless, Gilas Pilipinas is expected to do the necessary to make sure that they remain competitive. Naturalized player Andray Blatche is expected to lead the charge and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is still trying to exhaust all efforts to hopefully include Jordan Clarkson of the Cleveland Cavaliers into the mix.

Either way, Gilas Pilipinas may end up fielding in only Blatche and the top players from the Philippine Basketball Association, the local pro league in the Philippines. So instead of waiting for the verdict from FIBA, head coach Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is trying to find other ways to help the team to be competitive.

According to Manila Bulletin Sports, one of Guiao's plans is to hold goodwill games against some teams. He mentioned a friendly match against the New Zealand Tall Blacks and the Australian Boomers. The New Zealanders, ranked 38th in the world dealt Gilas Pilipinas a beating during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament held at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City, Philippines three years ago. But obviously, the friendly match is all about fine-tuning for the players to adjust to taller and heftier players.

But if there is one game that raises some eyebrows, it would be a potential match with the Boomers. It will be recalled that the Philippines and Australia figured in an infamous brawl in June 2017, something fresh in the minds of all parties and countries concerned.

But head coach Yeng Guiao sees it differently and believes it is a chance to patch things up between the two countries.

“Maybe we can go there (Australia), restart our friendship with them, play goodwill games. If we can push through with that, we can achieve two things. First, we’ll get the experience playing a strong team, and second restore our relationship with them… and I think it’s going to be good for us and benefit our team,” Guiao said.

Either way, Gilas Pilipinas is obviously the underdog. But rather than sulk, SBP president Al Panlilio feels that this is something that the Filipino cagers can use to their advantage.

“It is obvious that we are the overwhelming underdogs but we are certainly not going to give up,” he said in another report from Manila Bulletin Sports.