POC president Bambol Tolentino confident in homegrown Gilas Pilipinas ahead of SEA Games

Despite a turbulent lead-up to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine men’s basketball team is heading to Bangkok with confidence, led by multi-titled coach Norman Black.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino voiced unwavering support for Gilas Pilipinas, even after Thai organizers barred the participation of naturalized stars Justin Brownlee, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, and Michael Phillips.

“Gilas can win the title again — and I believe that,” Tolentino told reporters after the SEA Games Council meeting in Bangkok. “It is still painful not to see some of our players, but Gilas Pilipinas can still do it. They will still be the champion.”

For Norman Black, this year presents a new type of challenge: guiding a fully homegrown team through a tournament increasingly dominated by naturalized talent. Rather than dwell on what’s missing, Black has assembled a squad with a blend of experience and versatility, including Thirdy Ravena, Matthew Wright, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Jamie Malonzo, Von Pessumal, Robert Bolick, Justin Chua, Dalph Panopio, Abu Tratter, Veejay Pre, Cedrick Manzano, and Allen Liwag.

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GILAS GOOD TO GO!

The Gilas Pilipinas roster for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand is now complete with the addition of NCAA star Allen Liwag, joining standouts like Thirdy Ravena, Matthew Wright, and Jamie Malonzo.

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Gilas opens its title defense against Malaysia on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., followed by a clash with Vietnam on Monday at the same venue, Nimibutr Stadium.

Tolentino draws confidence from the team’s history of resilience. After losing the 2022 crown in Hanoi, the Philippines reclaimed gold in Cambodia 2023, a win largely defined by Brownlee’s 23-point, seven-rebound performance in the finals. This time, the team must prove that its strength isn’t defined by imported talent.

“Even in a SEA Games setting increasingly defined by naturalized players, a fully homegrown Gilas can still rise above everyone else,” Tolentino said.

With final rosters of competing nations still uncertain, the Philippine delegation departs Bangkok carrying more than just a medal mission — they carry a chance to reaffirm the identity and culture that has long defined Gilas basketball.

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