There’ll be no Lenten break for Jerrick Ahanmisi (Terrafirma Dyip), Ralph Cu (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel), and Chris Koon (Magnolia Hotshots), as they will be leading Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Ahanmisi, Cu, and Koon, together with UP Fighting Maroon Sean Alter, will be shooting for the main draw today when they take on Maldives at 3:50 p.m. and then Thailand at 8:25 p.m. Both games will be played at the OCBA Arena in Singapore.
Maldives is the lowest-ranked team at No. 22 and should pose no problems for ninth-ranked Gilas Pilipinas. A looming challenge, though, is 15th-ranked Thailand, which will be coming in with all sorts of momentum and sky-high confidence, with main man Panthawat Techasamran leading the way. Techasamran anchored the Thai 3×3 squad that bagged gold in last year’s SEA Games and was sensational when Thailand shocked FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup (2025) champion Lithuania, 21-15, in the 3×3 Champions Cup a few weeks ago.
It Takes a Community to Build a Strong Gilas Team
Ahanmisi and company will not just be gunning for the main draw of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup. They will also be trying to put the failure of the previous Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 squad firmly in the rearview mirror and help the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) reset the program entirely. In last year’s SEA Games, the hastily formed squad of Ange Kouame, Joseph Eriobu, Janrey Pasaol, and Joseph Sedurifa fell in the semis and wound up without a medal for the first time in the regional meet.
Now, 3×3 Program Director Ryan Gregorio and the rest of the SBP are trying to build a stronger team and have evidently secured commitments from many.
“We thank the leadership of the PBA and UAAP for allowing their players to represent the country in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup,” said SBP Executive Director Erika Dy. “3×3 Program Director Ryan Gregorio and the team’s coaching staff selected a training pool, and they were all made available to join Gilas. We know it really takes a community to build a strong team, and we’re very happy to get the commitment of many individuals who showed up for our team’s practices to share their knowledge and experience.”
The revamped program under Gregorio will get its first acid test today—and it will fittingly come against a regional rival in hoops.
Gilas Pilipinas arrived in Singapore on Tuesday with Gregorio and coaches Kirk Collier, Patrick Fran, and JJ Espanola.
