Tim Cone drops Zavier Lucero and Rhenz Abando from Gilas Pilipinas pool for 2025 FIBA Asia Cup

The Philippine men’s basketball national team’s tune-up game for the upcoming 2025 FIBA Asia Cup ended in the best possible way, as they secured a 103–98 victory over the Macau Black Bears at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday, July 28.

Gilas Pilipinas’ star naturalized player Justin Brownlee once again led from the front, marking his return to competitive action by recording 32 points and sparking a 21-point comeback with 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Brownlee, playing his first game for Gilas since suffering a dislocated thumb during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, also added 15 rebounds and five assists. He received strong support from Dwight Ramos, who contributed 19 points, four rebounds, and six assists, while AJ Edu and Kevin Quiambao added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

With the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup just a week away, Gilas head coach Tim Cone has started finalizing the 12-man roster for the tournament and has cut Zavier Lucero and Rhenz Abando from the player pool.

“THE GOAL IS TO WIN THE GOLD MEDAL.”

This is coach Tim Cone’s marching orders for Gilas Pilipinas after a 103-93 win over Macau ahead of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, KSA on Aug. 5-17, 2025. | via @bryanulanday pic.twitter.com/TQQzQxfMpF

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) July 28, 2025

Cone confirmed after Gilas’ win over the Macau Black Bears that both Lucero and Abando did not participate in the team’s training sessions in Pampanga, Angeles City.

“Rhenz, because he hasn’t been able to come in and really practice with us, is not under consideration. And Lucero—we never got a go-ahead from FIBA to put him in as a local. We are still checking on that,” Cone said.

With star forward Calvin Oftana’s participation doubtful due to an ankle injury sustained during the recently concluded PBA Philippine Cup Finals, this opens the door for Troy Rosario and RJ Abarrientos to likely make the final squad. Notably, both players are part of the initial “long list” submitted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to FIBA.

“Right now, it’s been RJ and Troy, and they’ve been with us from the first moment we started practicing. I don’t know how we’ve gone through the last two weeks without them—we were practicing with seven, eight guys most of the week. Without Troy and RJ, we would’ve been down to six, or five. They were really, really crucial to our preparation,” Cone added.

Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to fly to Jeddah on Wednesday, July 30, and will face Jordan in a friendly on Saturday, August 2. They’ve been drawn into Group D of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup alongside Iraq, New Zealand, and Chinese Taipei. Gilas will open their campaign against Chinese Taipei on August 6.

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