Gilas Pilipinas coach Norman Black reveals his biggest concern ahead of the 2025 SEA Games

The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) are set to kick off in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 9 to 20, with basketball among the most anticipated competitions. The Philippines men’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, enters as the favorite to defend its crown, but head coach Norman Black faces a logistical challenge: getting his roster together for sufficient practice before the tournament.

“My biggest concern now is just preparation, getting them into practice. It’s not going to be that easy at this point in the timetable, but I’m sure, as we get closer to the games, we will be able to get some practices in and be prepared for the tournament,” Black said during a media interaction.

Black’s concern is understandable. The Gilas roster for the SEA Games draws players from multiple leagues across Asia, including the PBA, Japan B. League, Korean Basketball League, and the UAAP.

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Key scheduling hurdles:

• Ray Parks will join the team only in the second week of December due to his contract with Osaka Evessa in Japan.
• Kymani Ladi, Michael Phillips, and Veejay Pre are tied up with UAAP commitments.
• Jason Brickman and Dave Ildefonso are currently active in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

‘WE’LL DO OUR BEST TO GET THESE GUYS TOGETHER AND FORM A TEAM TO BE COMPETITIVE’ 💬

The Gilas Pilipinas cast for the SEA Games is now complete. But now comes the harder part for the Norman Black-coached squad.#GilasPilipinashttps://t.co/mNjZze1tmg

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) October 30, 2025

“Ray-Ray Parks won’t be here until about December 9 because he has games in the Japanese league. But he will be coming in to join the team. I’m not sure exactly when the UAAP will be over—I don’t know when Ateneo and La Salle will either win the championship or get eliminated. At this point, we will do our best to get these guys together and form a team to be competitive,” Black added.

Despite the fragmented schedule, the 67-year-old coach is optimistic that the team will manage approximately 23 days of practice before the SEA Games’ men’s basketball competition begins.

“Some of those days will be twice a day. We will have them all together so we can try to form a team as quickly as we can,” Black said.

Before the SEA Games, Gilas Pilipinas will first compete in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, starting in late November, providing another opportunity for the squad to build chemistry ahead of the regional showdown.

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