Gilas Pilipinas balances continuity and youth as more standouts join revamped training pool

The road to the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers is shaping up to be more than just about lineups for Gilas Pilipinas—it’s about striking the right balance between winning now and building for the future.

That balancing act was underscored this week when the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas confirmed the expansion of the Gilas pool, headlined by the inclusion of big man Quentin Millora-Brown, newly classified by FIBA as a local. 

The 6-foot-10 slotman, who had a brief stint with UP in the UAAP before suiting up for Macau in the ASEAN Basketball League, is expected to make his national team debut in the November window against Guam.

Head coach Tim Cone welcomed Millora-Brown’s addition but emphasized that the team’s direction remains anchored on stability.“Since this team is a team of continuity, the Gilas team, it’s the same kind of approach. At the end of the year, we’ll take a look. Do we need to make some changes? But we’re not going to change 8 or 9 guys. That’s crazy because we have to start all over. We have a really good young core,” Cone said.

That young core, Cone noted, is brimming with promise: Kai Sotto (23), Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo (24), AJ Edu (25), and Dwight Ramos (27).

“All those guys are 24 years and younger. They’re young players still developing, not even close to their prime yet. That’s a core that we’re going to continue to work with,” he added.

Alongside the youth, Gilas retains the proven veterans who powered the squad to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup: Japeth Aguilar, June Mar Fajardo, Justin Brownlee, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Scottie Thompson, and others.

For Cone, it’s the veterans who set the tone for the next generation.

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SPORTS: The Gilas Pilipinas lineup has expanded their lineup to 16 players for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. Former DLSU Green Archers Kevin Quiambao and Jamie Malonzo have been called up once again to represent the Philippines. | via @officialSBPinc pic.twitter.com/lycGsRY1i8

— The LaSallian (@TheLaSallian) October 2, 2025

“You want those little older guys because they show the way. They show how to prepare for a game. They show how to come to practice and get ready. They show the importance of paying attention to detail. They’ve learned these things as they’ve gotten older,” Cone explained.

The SBP also confirmed the reintegration of Sotto, who missed the Asia Cup while rehabbing an ACL injury, and the addition of RJ Abarrientos and Ange Kouame. With Kouame and Brownlee both in the pool, the program now has two naturalized options.

“Obviously, Justin will still be the top choice in terms of having a naturalized player in the lineup but we need to take advantage of actually having multiple naturalized players,” SBP president Al Panlilio said.

Cone, however, made clear that Millora-Brown is the only major roster shake-up for now.

“We’ll look at year-end and reassess the team going into the next year. See if there’s any more changes beyond Quentin Millora-Brown that we might do,” he said.

The veteran tactician stressed that the program is committed to gradual growth rather than sweeping overhauls.

“Eventually, those 6 or 7 guys will become the veterans. When new guys come in, they’ll be able to show the way to the new guys. That’s basically how you build a team and how you continue to build,” Cone said.

The vision, Cone believes, is long-term: to mold a Gilas core that will peak together, even as it learns how to win in the present.

“It’s an exciting young core that I’m excited to be around. We’re just trying to fit the right pieces around that core so that we can try to win now. We want to continue to develop as we go,” he said.

“It’s a team that I don’t think has seen their best game yet. We haven’t seen our best game or our best team together yet. Knock on wood, we don’t run into a bunch of injuries or have something come unavailable or have availability issues. We take this next year by storm by having this core all together.”

With a reloaded pool and a philosophy rooted in patience, Gilas isn’t just preparing for the November window—it’s laying the foundation for the next era of Philippine basketball.

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