With Gilas Pilipinas now over and done with the friendlies that were made to help them become roadworthy, focus now shifts to the true tests as the Nationals flew to Taiwan for their first assignment in the third and final window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.

Members of the national team literally only had a few hours to go back to their homes, see and greet their loved ones before packing their things again as they immediately went to Taiwan on Tuesday, Feb. 18 – even after a eight-hour flight from Doha.

Gilas is playing Chinese Taipei on Thursday, Feb. 20, giving the players a day and a half to fine-tune their game and apply the lessons from their series of friendlies in the 2nd Doha International Cup.

While results weren’t that encouraging, especially heading into a pair of big games against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand in the third window, the trip certainly gave Gilas the challenges it needed to pinpoint where it can still improve on.

For one, head coach Tim Cone had repeatedly stressed that the Nationals are playing for the long game and the trip in Doha not only helped them prepare for the upcoming matches but also allow the team test their mettle against the physical and rugged Middle Eastern teams – all of which the Nationals will have to beat in the Asia Cup in August.

Admittedly struggling during the trip, especially on their offense – evident in several scoring droughts in the lopsided losses to Lebanon and Egypt — Gilas remains confident that it is breaking out of its slump in time against Chinese Taipei.

But it is easier said than done against a determined Taiwanese team which is hell bent on finishing third in the group to give themselves a chance for the Asia Cup slot through a qualifying tournament for third-placed teams.

While Gilas has defeated Chinese Taipei with relative ease, 106-53, in their last meeting, the Filipinos will be without the star of that game in Kai Sotto.

The 7-foot-3 big man, who towered over the Taiwanese with 18 points and 10 rebounds, was out due to an ACL injury, leaving the task to man the paint on June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu.

Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, is expected to parade a retooled roster with new naturalized player Brandon Gilbek and Taiwanese Mohammad al Bachir Gadiaga leading the charge.