The core of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that shocked Latvia last July at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) 2024 will banner national team coach Tim Cone’s 15-man pool for the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who made the All-Star Five at Riga, headlines the pool, along with OQT holdovers June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJay Perez, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, Japeth Aguilar, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, and Mason Amos. Rounding out the 15-man pool are FIBA World Cup holdovers Scottie Thompson, AJ Edu, and Jamie Malonzo and naturalized big man Ange Kouame.
Tall, Talented Gilas Pool to Convene at Inspire
Cone’s 15-man pool is arguably the tallest on record for any Gilas iteration, with everyone but Thompson (6-1), Perez (6-1), and Newsome (6-2) all standing at least 6-foot-4. The pool also has five players standing at least 6-foot-9 Sotto (7-3), Kouame (6-11), Fajardo (6-10), Edu (6-10), and Aguilar (6-10).
The 15-man pool, according to respected scribe Quinito Henson, will start practicing on November 15 at the Inspire Academy, which has been a preferred venue for Gilas training for the past several years. Henson also noted that the overseas players in the pool—Tamayo, Ramos, Sotto, and Edu—will arrive within the week to join Brownlee and company.
With Malonzo still recovering from a calf injury and Aguilar having previously announced his intention to retire from Gilas duties, it appears OQT holdovers Brownlee, Fajardo, Newsome, Oftana, Perez, Quiambao, Tamayo, Ramos, and Sotto will likely be lined up, along with Thompson, Edu, and Amos. Official lineups will be chosen on the eve of each game.
Gilas will play New Zealand first on November 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena. It will next take on Hong Kong on November 24 at the same venue.
