Gilas Pilipinas’ recent run of mediocrity hasn’t been easy on the eyes for sure. That first half against Chinese Taipei in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup was an eyesore if we’re being brutally honest, as was the first half of the New Zealand game, and most of that Australia beat down. Even Gilas Pilipinas’ wins against Iraq and Saudi Arabia don’t exactly inspire confidence that the national team is headed in the right direction.
It isn’t surprising then that many fans are disappointed, with some calling for wholesale changes that include a change in coaching staff and an overhaul of the lineup—especially with rematches against New Zealand and Australia looming at the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Others, like Rain or Shine Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao, have a more restrained view, batting for Tim Cone and his focus on continuity and believing tweaks here and there would do a whale of a good.
Either way, Gilas Pilipinas and its millions of frenzied fans have reason for optimism because the team’s potential core for the future is shaping up to be an exciting blend of talent, size, and flair.
Kai Sotto, Kevin Quiambao Headline Potential Future Gilas Core
At the head of Gilas Pilipinas’ youth brigade is obviously Kai Sotto, the 23-year-old 7-foot-3 big man who had just played his best stretch in FIBA competition—Gilas’ first four games in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers—before tearing his ACL back in January. In those four wins, Sotto averaged 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.3 blocks and had a 19-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist, 2-steal, 2-block masterpiece over New Zealand. Sotto, in short, was starting to fulfill his immense potential, only to be shelved by his unfortunate injury. But he is on the road to recovery and has reportedly rejoined his pro club, the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League, in training camp for some non-contact drills.
In an interview with SEAG Live, the aforementioned Guiao urged Filipino hoops fans to find silver linings in Gilas Pilipinas’ disappointing showing at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup. One such silver lining, said the fiery mentor, is the emergence of Kevin Quiambao, whom he described as being ready for international competition based on his showing in Jeddah. And, indeed, KQ showed he was up to the task, putting up 12.0 points and 2.2 rebounds on 44.4% shooting from downtown, which was second only to Justin Brownlee’s 48.3% clip. Quiambao was so good in Jeddah that for long stretches, he looked like Gilas Pilipinas’ second best player—at times even better than national team veteran Dwight Ramos.
Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu and the Rest of the Youth Brigade
That’s not to say Ramos wasn’t any good in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup because he was. His final stat line—16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals—bears that out. Ramos’ showing in Jeddah, though, isn’t some one-off or a case of him getting hot at the right time. It’s the norm for St. Dwight, who has been Gilas Pilipinas’ most consistent, most productive local this decade, averaging in double-digits in every window and tournament he has played in en route to putting up senior team averages of 12.2 points and 4.9 rebounds. His three-point shooting and lateral quickness could use some work, but he’s pretty good already.
Another 2025 FIBA Asia Cup standout was AJ Edu, and it wasn’t the least bit surprising. In the FIBA World Cup in 2023, Edu proved to be Gilas’ best big man, averaging 8.2 points and 8.6 rebounds against some of the world’s best bigs. Injuries have since slowed Edu down, but the young man is starting to get healthy again and showing he belongs on the international stage. His defense, in particular, has been impressive, though he proved in Jeddah that he can also finish both around the basket and from the perimeter. Moving forward, playing alongside Sotto will only unleash Edu even more on both ends.
Sotto, Quiambao, Ramos, and Edu make for a young talented core already, but they’re not the only ones to be excited about for the future. Carl Tamayo looks on the verge of an international breakout and could see a bigger role moving forward with his toughness in the paint and feathery touch on the perimeter. Meanwhile, Quentin Millora-Brown, a 6-foot-10 former UAAP champion, has been reclassified as a local and would add another mobile and athletic big man to the Gilas frontline.
Crucially, of these six, Ramos is the oldest at 26, while Edu and Millora-Brown are 25. Quiambao and Tamayo are still just 24, and Sotto is only 23. Together, these six could form a core-six for Gilas, with each potentially entering his athletic prime starting in 2025—or just in time for Gilas Pilipinas’ windows against New Zealand and Australia.
That, if anything, is a solid six to build around as it has size, talent, and youth firmly on its side. Add to the mix players like Rhenz Abando, Jordan Heading, Justine Baltazar, and Calvin Oftana—all under the age of 30, all very talented in their own right—and you have the makings of a squad that could potentially beat any team in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia, and even some squads from Africa, Europe, and South America.
But the question is: When will Tim Cone and the Gilas leadership actually hand the keys over to Sotto and company?
