With just two months left before the curtains are raised on the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, it appears Gilas Pilipinas’ preparations might hit a snag no thanks to the confusion in eligibility rules for basketball.
So far, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Norman Black, coach of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s team that will compete in Thailand in December, have been operating on the premise that eligibility will be passport-based. This means naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame will be eligible to play, as will any passport-toting Fil-Am hooper willing to don the Three Stars and a Sun
However, reports have been surfacing that the organizers are instead opting to follow FIBA’s eligibility mandates where players must have secured their passports before the age of 16 in order to be cleared to play. The SBP has assured that no such rule changes have been communicated to the Philippines but guaranteed nonetheless that the federation is on top of things. But given the lineup fiasco prior to the 2023 Asian Games (providing the organizers conflicting lineup submissions), it might be hard to take the SBP’s word for it.
Potential Impact on Gilas: What It Means for SBP Preparations
If these reports are true, Gilas Pilipinas’ preparations for the SEA Games and its final lineup for the tournament will be significantly impacted. Notably, only one of Brownlee and Kouame will be eligible to represent the country in Thailand. JB would be the obvious choice for his shooting, playmaking, leadership, and big-game gravitas, but not having Kouame would leave the Gilas frontline quite thin—that is unless Quentin Millora-Brown signs up to play.
The pool of players from which Black can draw will also get smaller if FIBA rules are followed as it will rule out Fil-Ams like Remy Martin and Jason Brickman—a pair of highly touted guards who have previously said they’re ready to represent the Philippines in the biennial meet. This change, if true, would also bar La Salle Green Archer big man Mike Phillips from playing, as FIBA considers him a naturalized player at the moment.
Black, then working on the premise of the passport-only rule, emphasized the need to form the best team possible to avert disaster in Thailand. With the uncertainty over which eligibility rules will be followed, Black’s ability to do just that will be hampered and Gilas Pilipinas’ preparation time might even be shortened.
