Manila: Gilas Pilipinas will bank on an all-PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) team to retain the gold medal in the 20th Asian Games. National coach Tim Cone officially announced that none among the overseas Filipino players will join the Philippine contingent in Nagoya, Japan for the Sept. 10 to 20 basketball wars.
According to Philippines News Agency, out of the Asiad are Gilas Pilipinas regulars Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Quentin Millora-Brown, Jamie Malonzo, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao. Coach Cone stated that none of the Japan and Korean players could participate in the Asian Games, leading to the decision to rely on an all-PBA contingent, along with Justin Brownlee, for the tournament. This announcement came during the final playdate of the PBA Governors' Cup eliminations, just before a nine-week break for the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers and the Asiad.
Naturalized player candidate Bennie Boatwright is under consideration, contingent on securing his Philippine passport before the tournament. "So aside from that, it's going to be Justin and an all-PBA team," Cone reiterated.
In the 2023 Hangzhou, China Games, Cone led Gilas Pilipinas to victory, defeating Jordan in the final match with a score of 70-60, thus ending the Philippines' 61-year gold medal drought. The campaign was highlighted by a remarkable upset against host China in the semifinals, where Gilas made a stunning comeback from a 20-point deficit, thanks to the sharpshooting of Brownlee, clinching a 77-76 win.
This triumph also marked the end of Gilas' medal drought dating back to the 1998 Bangkok Games, where the Centennial Team secured a bronze. That squad, coached by Chot Reyes, included notable players such as Johnny Abarrientos, Marlou Aquino, and Allan Caidic, among others.
Looking ahead, Cone hinted that some members of the 2023 team might not return, as new faces are expected to join the Gilas Pilipinas core. The team is set to commence practices on Monday and will travel to South Korea on Sept. 3 for a pair of friendlies with the national team, before heading straight to Nagoya.
Gilas is slated to compete in Pool C alongside China, Kazakhstan, and Bahrain.
