Naturalized player Ange Kouame is joining Gilas Pilipinas in its preparation for this month's window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy confirmed on Monday, Nov. 11.

The 26-year-old Filipino-Ivorian, who is one of the naturalized players under the Gilas program, is included in the 15-man pool that will enter the Inspire Sports Academy on Friday, Nov. 15, for a weeklong practice ahead of the home games against New Zealand (Nov. 21) and Hong Kong (Nov. 24) at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Without mentioning other names in the roster, Dy clarified that Justin Brownlee is still part training pool despite exhausting his energy in a roller-coaster year that stretches back from his duty in the February window, a monumental performance in the Olympic Qualifiers in Riga, Latvia, and up to his recent defeat with Ginebra in the Finals of the Governors' Cup against TNT.

Kings head coach Tim Cone will still call the shots for Gilas. The Nationals boast a 2-0 record after convincingly beating Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei by a wide margin of 41.5 points last February.

The 6-foot-11 Kouame is currently playing for Meralco as an import in the East Asia Super League. The Bolts will face the Busan KCC Egis at PhilSports Arena this Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Cone has the luxury of tapping Brownlee or Kouame against the two visiting teams.