How Gilas Pilipinas Could Look Like in Their FIBA World Cup Qualifying Window vs. Guam

While it is true Tim Cone expanded the Gilas Pilipinas pool to 18 players with the addition of Quentin Millora-Brown and Juan Gomez de Liaño, it is likely that we will see much of the same core that played in previous tournaments go to battle versus Guam in the nationa team’s first FIBA World Cup Qualifying window.

But with Kai Sotto still not available, Ange Kouame a backup to Justin Brownlee, and Calvin Oftana begging off due to a hamstring injury, it means there are three spots definitely up for grabs for the magic 12. Another spot could open up, at least in the November 28 game versus Guam, should Carl Tamayo not be available as he is still reportedly working on securing his U.S. visa as of this writing.

Expect a Familiar Gilas Core vs. Guam

All that being said, Cone’s core for the past few tournaments will likely be the same for this FIBA World Cup Qualifying Window. That means we’d probably see these players in uniform for the two games against Guam:

1. Justin Brownlee
2. June Mar Fajardo
3. Scottie Thompson
4. Chris Newsome
5. Kevin Quiambao
6. Dwight Ramos
7. CJ Perez
8. AJ Edu

These eight players pretty much make Cone’s Gilas Pilipinas core, and they’ve proven to be quite reliable to a certain degree. So, it is highly likely they will be tapped to once again lead the team to battle against Guam.

Who Will Round Out the Gilas Pilipinas Lineup?

Let us assume, for the sake of this piece, that Carl Tamayo does not secure a U.S. visa. That means four spots will be open for six players, with Kouame no longer in the running since Brownlee is taking the naturalized player spot and Sotto and Oftana out as well.

With Sotto still recovering from his ACL injury, there’s a strong likelihood Millora-Brown will get his first crack at donning that Gilas on his chest in actual international competition. Cone said it himself recently that the national team needs physicality, and QMB can certainly give it—along with size, rebounding, and energy.

Meanwhile, Oftana’s absence could mean Jamie Malonzo will be back on active duty to shore up Gilas Pilipinas’ wing rotation. That would leave two more spots open for Japeth Aguilar, Gomez de Liaño, Troy Rosario, and RJ Abarrientos to fill.

Aguilar, who has intimated this window will very likely be his last rodeo, could get in as well as an insurance in case Tamayo can’t make it to Guam (and maybe to give him a final send-off). The final spot, therefore, could go down to JGDL, Abarrientos, and Rosario, with the Converge FiberXers rookie potentially having the inside track given his sensational showing in the PBA thus far.

The (Likely) Gilas Pilipinas Magic 12 vs. Guam

All things considered, it’s looking like the final roster for Gilas Pilipinas in this FIBA World Cup Qualifying Window against Guam will be the following, with Tamayo taking Aguilar’s spot in the national team’s home game on December 1:

1. Justin Brownlee
2. June Mar Fajardo
3. Scottie Thompson
4. Chris Newsome
5. Kevin Quiambao
6. Dwight Ramos
7. CJ Perez
8. AJ Edu
9. Quentin Millora-Brown
10. Jamie Malonzo
11. Japeth Aguilar
12. Juan Gomez de Liaño