FIBA World Cup Qualifiers poised to mark Japeth Aguilar’s Gilas Pilipinas farewell

Japeth Aguilar has worn the Gilas Pilipinas jersey through multiple eras, coaching regimes, and generations of teammates. But this time—after years of postponed goodbyes—it appears the curtain is finally ready to fall.

The 38-year-old forward is set to take his final bow with Gilas in the opening window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, with back-to-back games against Guam serving as his long-overdue sendoff.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Erika Dy and national team head coach Tim Cone both confirmed that Aguilar will suit up one last time, with the Dec. 1 matchup at the historic Blue Eagle Gym adding a touch of poetic closure.

“It’s a very special game especially for Japeth Aguilar as we might see him for the last time in a Gilas jersey. So it’s sort of a tribute also for Japeth,” Dy said. “It’s great that we’ll be having it at the Blue Eagle gym where he spent two years of his collegiate basketball career. It’s just fitting that we send him off there.”

Aguilar’s journey to national team prominence began long before the Gilas program as we know it today. After starting at Ateneo, he transferred to NCAA Division I school Western Kentucky University, becoming one of the few Filipino-born players to suit up in a top U.S. collegiate program.

 But it was his return to the Philippines in 2009—joining coach Rajko Toroman’s original Smart Gilas Pilipinas squad—that sparked his identity as a national team mainstay. 

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Mukhang may final answer na si Japeth Aguilar sa kanyang paglilingkod sa national men’s basketball team.

BASAHIN: https://t.co/gwwfoIKi4F pic.twitter.com/CH9wTRXDON

— Abante Tonite (@AbanteTonitePH) November 24, 2025

Over the past decade and a half, Japeth Aguilar has become virtually synonymous with Gilas Pilipinas. He was a key member of the 2013 FIBA Asia silver-medal squad that ended the country’s long World Cup drought, and he went on to contribute in multiple World Cup cycles, including the 2014 edition in Spain and the 2019 tournament in China. 

Aguilar also served as one of the pillars of Gilas’ sustained dominance in the Southeast Asian Games, consistently stepping up whenever the team needed size, athleticism, or leadership. Through various transition eras, he provided a steady veteran presence, helping younger big men—from June Mar Fajardo’s early rise to today’s emerging frontcourt talents—adapt to the demands of international play.

At every turn, Aguilar’s length, mobility, and trademark above-the-rim flair became staples of Gilas basketball.

But as the years wore on, Aguilar repeatedly expressed a desire to finally step aside for the next generation. He shared that sentiment once again during the recent FIBA Asia Cup, hinting at passing the torch. Still, unforeseen needs and roster gaps often pulled him back in.

This window was supposed to be different—until duty called once more.

Cone acknowledged Aguilar’s selflessness while keeping the door open should an emergency arise in the future.

“At this point we kind of allow him,” Cone said. “He’s gone above and beyond the duty or call of duty. He’ll always be on call, but at this point we’ll see what happens on Monday.”

Though Aguilar had initially planned to skip the start of the qualifiers, two pressing circumstances prompted him to suit up—another case of the veteran choosing service over rest.

Now, with Guam arriving and Gilas preparing to open a new World Cup cycle, Aguilar stands on the brink of an emotional final chapter. For a player who has been part of nearly every major milestone in the modern Gilas program, the moment is both symbolic and deserved.

Whether this truly marks the end, or simply another pause in a career defined by loyalty, one thing is certain: Japeth Aguilar will leave the Gilas jersey having given it everything he had—every year, every window, every call.

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