Gilas reveals 12-man lineup for the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Gilas Pilipinas Men’s National Basketball Team has finalized its official 12-man roster for the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

From an initial pool of 18 professional players, head coach Tim Cone and the rest of the staff named the final 12 that will take on Guam to kick off its bid for a second consecutive FIBA World Cup main draw qualification.

Leading the national team are mainstays from the program, Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, AJ Edu, CJ Perez, and Japeth Aguilar.

RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao, three of the youngest members of Gilas, will also be with the team in the first two games against Guam.

Meanwhile, Filipino hoops fans will finally have the chance to witness the FIBA debut of Quentin-Millora Brown, a former UP Fighting Maroon standout known for his paint presence and versatility.

His inclusion in the Gilas 12-man lineup is a welcoming sight for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) after being reclassified from a naturalized player to a local.

On the other hand, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Jamie Malonzo, and Troy Rosario were cut and will not be flying with the national team. Cone and the management also waved off Calvin Oftana and Kai Sotto due to their respective injuries.

Gilas will begin its FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers campaign on Nov. 28, in uncharted territory in front of Guam’s road fans.

Three days after their encounter, Gilas will conclude its first window with a rematch against Guam, but this time, on their home court, on Dec. 1.

Last FIBA World Cup edition, Gilas received a direct seat to the main draw, as part of its perks as one of the tournament’s host countries.