Gilas Pilipinas will be back in action later today as they take on Guam in the two nations’ opening window for the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Guam, of course, isn’t generally regarded as a powerhouse, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing intriguing about this home-and-home. On the contrary, there’s a lot to watch out for that makes this window somewhat compelling, especially on the Gilas Pilipinas side of things.
With that being said, we have listed five burning questions ahead of Gilas Pilipinas’ two games versus Guam:
1. Will Carl Tamayo get more burn?
Carl Tamayo has been showing out in the KBL this season and is, in fact, proving to be one of the country’s best exports. But is that enough to win over Tim Cone’s full, undivided trust? For most of his tenure in this Cone-led program, Tamayo has mostly gotten spot minutes only, even though he has the skill set to excel internationally as a stretch four, or even a wing. Against a “lighter” opponent in Guam, maybe now is the perfect time for CTC to give Tamayo a starring role.
2. Would the young bigs get their passing-of-the-torch moment?
Kai Sotto has been a pillar of this Cone Gilas, with AJ Edu playing more of a supporting role, even playing behind June Mar Fajardo at times. But Fajardo and fellow Gilas mainstay Japeth Aguilar are up there in age and in the backend of their careers, making this window the perfect time for them to pass the cudgels over to Edu and new addition Quentin Millora-Brown. Together with Sotto once he comes back, those three could form the sturdy foundations of a new Gilas generation.
3. How is Justin Brownlee?
By now, fans know that Justin Brownlee had a nearly months-long bout with pneumonia, and he recently admitted he’s far from game shape. This would normally be a concern if Gilas were playing the region’s stronger teams, but fortunately for JB and his merry band of brothers, Guam isn’t one of those teams—at least not yet. So, Brownlee could probably take it easy to a degree in this window and let the locals—Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, and Dwight Ramos, to name three—do the heavy lifting.
4. Can Gilas get off to a better start?
One of Gilas Pilipinas’ major problems lately has been slow starts, forcing the team to be in rally mode for the next three quarters. The results have mostly been disastrous, with Gilas mostly losing steam and failing to complete those comebacks. A good start against Guam could go a long way in rectifying this habit of starting slow, which would serve Cone and his boys well in the succeeding windows.
5. How is that defense?
Gilas Pilipinas’ defense is another area of concern, as the national team have struggled as of late clamping down opposing offenses. Brownlee and company notably have had trouble defending the three-point shot, allowing opponents to shoot over 40% from downtown in losses to Australia, New Zealand, and Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Asia Cup back in August. Again, Guam probably isn’t on the level of those teams, but between Jericho Cruz and Tai Wesley, it certainly has scorers who could challenge that Gilas defense.
(Watch highlights of Gilas in action:)
