The grind of basketball has been a constant. We've compiled a list of special features and videos that tell the story of Gilas' campaign in China.

"Maraming salamat, Gilas Pilipinas! "Well, Asi did not have to chase guys around the perimeter," Norwood rebutted.Norwood was a few steps away from exiting the Wukesong Arena in Beijing when a team official from Iran approached him. ❤️ The squad was up by 31 points entering the final period, and their defense held strong for the entire game, holding Qatar to only 28% from the field.

"It was a really emotional game for us," Blatche said. Gilas Pilipinas vs Italy (aug.31, 2019) fibawc2019 #fiba #GilasPilipinas #italy #LabanPilipinas #2019 Foshan,china. Gilas also knew that they needed to hold off their opponents' outside shot, which torched them in their last encounter in Manila.Blatche wasted no time as he showcased his own 3-point shooting, unleashing 17 points in the first six minutes. Still, Norwood was the first guy there. It was a far cry from their match inside a closed-door Araneta Coliseum back in the Philippines. Gilas would have to quickly pack their bags, and get ready to travel to the next part of their mission field. The 18-year-old, whose mother hails from Ilocos Sur, should be an ideal addition to Gilas Pilipinas because of his experience playing in the FIBA U-17 and U-19 World Cups in 2018 and 2019.

You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here.Andray Blatche led Gilas Pilipinas with a FIBA-high 41 points against Kazakhstan. "Miles away, Jordan and Lebanon were also fighting for World Cup slots against New Zealand and Korea, respectively, at the exact same time that the Philippines was battling Kazakhstan.For Gilas to clinch a ticket to China, they needed either Jordan or Lebanon to lose. This is why its all worth it. Preparing now as the Philippines is set to host the next World Cup would give Gilas the best chance to be the top Asian finisher and earn and automatic berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics. "We're not just talking about one team, we're talking about the whole country.

"I'll just go back to see the guys. "The Iranian official guided Norwood to their own dugout where he was met by Iran center Hamed Haddadi. It’s final. Barroca was part of the original Gilas squad and last competed for the country back in 2011, so he was eager to prove his worth on the team, and earn a spot in the lineup under Coach Yeng Guiao.And lastly, youth was also served, as Thirdy Ravena, a surprise inclusion in the Gilas pool, joined the team to make his national debut with the Senior's squad. Andray Blatche's epic game helps boost Gilas to World Cup (1:04) With back-to-back losses at home in the previous window to Kazakhstan and Iran, Gilas didn't have the luxury of controlling their own fate even if they found a way to pull out wins in their last two games.So they trudged into the final two games on the road still feeling positive, but with uneasiness knowing that they needed other squads to come out on top for them to be able to book a seat to the World Cup in China. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, all the tournaments that they were supposed to join have been cancelled. With the limited time to prepare, he knew it would be tough to build chemistry with guys such as Robert Bolick and CJ Perez with whom he has never played. They were there for the poster dunk against Luis Scola and the win against Senegal in Spain. The Gilas Pilipinas national women’s team was supposed to join a lot of international tournaments this year.

For Haddadi and Bahrami though, there's still one challenge ahead, one more tournament to remember.

And for this next part, they would have to dress a bit more warmly.A few hours after the game against Qatar, the team headed to the airport to begin a grueling 18-hour trip to Astana, including an eight-hour layover in Istanbul.