GILAS Pilipinas is heading into the second round of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers next week with a do-or-die mentality.
Head coach Tim Cone said it is essential for the national team to adopt such an attitude given its current predicament in Group E, where it occupies the no. 5 spot, barely ahead of last placer Syria.
The Philippines carries a similar 2-4 record with Syria, but has a better points differential at -12 compared to Syria’s -74.
Australia is on top of the group with a perfect 6-0 slate, followed by Iran and Jordan at 5-1 and New Zealand at 4-2.
After four straight losses dating back to the second window, including back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and Australia, Gilas Pilipinas has suddenly been pushed to the wall. It needs victories over Jordan and Iran in order to get back on track.
“The margin of error has really dissipated for us. So I’ve been saying over the last few weeks it’s an all hands on deck kind of thing,” said Cone as Gilas Pilipinas began its 10-day practice for the coming window.
Two overseas-based players, Quentin Millora-Brown and Mike Philips, will not be available for the August 28 and 30 games against Jordan and Iran. Millora-Brown is still recovering from back surgery, while Philips is set to attend his brother’s wedding.
Their absence, however, could be offset by the return of 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto, who will play for Gilas for the first time in two years.
Sotto’s participation in the team’s daily practices led to his official inclusion in the 20-man pool that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas submitted to FIBA more than a week before the fourth window.
Joining Sotto in the pool are Philips, Millora-Brown, Justin Brownlee, RJ Abarrientos, Justin Baltazar, AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Juan Gomez de Liano, Ange Kouame, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, Troy Rosario, Carl Tamayo, Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez, Roger Pogoy, and last year’s PBA top rookie pick Geo Chiu.
Like Millora-Brown and Philips, Kouame and Oftana will likewise be unavailable for Gilas.
“We’d like a little bit more size, but it is what it is,” said Cone.
Gilas will first meet Jordan on Aug. 28, 2026, before taking on Iran on the 30th, both at the Mall of Asia Arena. / PBA MEDIA