GILAS PILIPINAS | FOCUS ON THE NEXT WINDOW

The biggest piece of the Gilas Pilipinas puzzle is sidelined.

Yey?

While I guess this situation may or may not have solved the whole Justin Brownlee scoring no-show that could have helped in Gilas Pilipinas' potential win over New Zealand, I think it's safe to say that the current development should dampen whatever chances we have against Australia as well.

Justin Brownlee will not play in our match against Australia.

And now, we can put our conspiracy theory hats on.

JB WEAR AND TEAR

If you guys think that Justin Brownlee is indeed injured, well, that's the most obvious explanation here.

I mean, even if the Tall Blacks were able to contain him, JB mostly played as a decoy throughout the game. Yes, he's a naturalized player, but first and foremost, he is an import. Brownlee is the reigning Best Import in the PBA and is regarded as one of the best of all time. JB knows that if he takes just three shots, even if it's understandable because of the frequent double teams, he'll likely get the axe if this were a club game.

I think it's unfortunate that he went into hero ball mode in the dying seconds of regulation and in the second overtime, but again, as PBA fans, we all know that imports always take over when the game is on the line.

Brownlee knows this, the locals know this, and even New Zealand knows this.

JUSTIN BROWNLEE'S GROUP A STATS

GP	PPG	RPG	APG	FG	FG%	3PT%
5	14.2	5.8	4.6	5.0 / 11.2	44.6	33.3

THE GOVERNORS' CUP IS ABOUT TO START

I guess the other reason why I felt there was something wrong with Brownlee is that he came off the bench.

Again, if you transpose Gilas Pilipinas with a random PBA team, you'll know that imports don't come off the bench. Having an import like Brownlee in the starting lineup automatically puts the opposing team on heightened alert.

And I know the SMC side of Gilas may have seen the need for Brownlee to just sit this one out and concentrate on his duties with Ginebra for the 2026 PBA Governors' Cup, which starts on July 10. This sucks, but if he's injured, and Gilas can't place higher than third, and if Syria is going to finish its group with a similar win-loss record, then this might not be a bad idea as well.

Besides, there is a chance that Bennie Boatwright might represent the team in the next window. Having Brownlee and Boatwright is good for the cause because not only will it make the lineup unpredictable, but it also gives both naturalized players a chance to rest.

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

The final reason why I thought something was up with Brownlee is the youth movement. I think leaving Scottie Thompson and Cjay Perez out of the lineup, the cameo appearance by Chris Newsome, and, hopefully, the decision to keep Justine Baltazar hidden from the scouts are reasons for this.

I think the 16 days Gilas played in their tune-up games without Brownlee, and the elevation of Dwight Ramos, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, and Kevin Quiambao, alongside Juan Gomez de Liano and Mike Phillips, have something to do with this. I know Tab Baldwin has drawn flak for his recent controversy, but this is also what he envisioned for Gilas when he plucked most of the college players from their respective teams.

I can see this core getting the bulk of the minutes against Australia as well.

GILAS PILIPINAS VS NEW ZEALAND | BOXSCORES

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FG	3PM	TO
JUAN GÓMEZ DE LIAÑO	21	23	6	4	9 / 15	4	3
KEVIN QUIAMBAO	37	23	3	2	9 / 16	3	1
DWIGHT RAMOS	38	18	4	3	6 / 17	1	3
CARL TAMAYO	26	17	4	1	7 / 12	3	1
RJ ABARRIENTOS	33	6	5	10	2 / 10	0	4
AJ EDU	32	6	4	1	1 / 2	0	2
JUSTIN BROWNLEE	36	5	8	4	2 / 3	1	3
MIKE PHILLIPS	11	2	3	0	1 / 2	0	0
CHRIS NEWSOME	2	0	0	0	0 / 1	0	0
JUNE MAR FAJARDO	8	0	1	1	0 / 0	0	1
TROY ROSARIO	6	0	0	0	1 / 2	0	1
JUSTINE BALTAZAR	0	0	0	0	0 / 0	0	0

And yes, I know Kai Sotto is getting flak for choosing the NBA Summer League instead of Gilas, but it's either we see him or we don't. Yes, it's good to depend on him, but maybe he has other things in mind. For all we know, the management is probably hiding him so they can unleash him in the next round.

We have been clamoring for a change of pace from what we usually have for some time now. People are asking for June Mar Fajardo to step down and let the "kids" have their way with the squad. Now, they are getting sufficient minutes by playing against the powerhouses.

Yes, we have heard the godawful "learning experience" phrase for some time now, but I think this is the right time for them to get that lesson.

Look, apart from Mitch Creek, Australia is going to parade the likes of Tyrese Proctor and Bryce Cotton. I have Proctor rookie cards kept in my binder, and while I doubt Cleveland will unleash him next season, I believe Australia will heavily use him tomorrow, especially if Gilas can keep the game close.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT ROUND

Again, as I mentioned in my previous blogs, I never saw this window as a chance for Gilas to change things, given that we haven't historically given the two Oceania teams a reason to fear us.

For Gilas, the mission of just trying to win against Australia and New Zealand, getting our shit together, and eliminating Guam in the process is enough. I know it's a bad way to "safely make the 2027 FIBA World Cup," but as long as the team continues to develop with the fewest possible injuries and a bottomless collection of opportunities, we just need to take it and then go into full battle mode for the next round.

That said, the next round is going to be super important. Like Gilas, Australia and New Zealand will go all out against Iran, Syria, and Jordan starting in August. Yes, the Boomers and the Tall Blacks pushed us to third place in our group, but they will also help us reach the final round if we play our cards right.

This is what people never saw about our "Group of Death." Yes, it's a curse for us in this window, but it's going to be a blessing from here on out.

THE MISSION FOR THE NEXT ROUND

	CURRENT		WHAT WE NEED TO DO		THE MISSION
	W	L	W	L	WIN	LOSS
AUSTRALIA	6	0	6	0	12	0
NEW ZEALAND	4	2	6	0	10	2
PHILIPPINES	2	4	6	0	8	4
JORDAN	5	1	0	6	5	7
IRAN	5	1	0	6	5	7
SYRIA	2	4	0	6	2	10

Iran, Jordan, and Syria are must-win games for Gilas Pilipinas to get the optimal 8-4 record, as the first three finishers will qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar, while the fourth-place finisher will have a do-or-die game to clinch the seventh spot, with Qatar booking the final Asian spot as the host team.

And yes, I know Iran, Jordan, and Syria are strong opponents in their own right. Iran had been the Asian powerhouse before the entry of Australia and New Zealand, while Jordan has also been our contra pelo this decade. However, they are easier opponents compared to the Oceania teams.

This is why I think Gilas really needs to sweep those games, because Australia and New Zealand will also try their best to destroy their confidence. The only problem I see is if their NBA obligations coincide with their national team duties. I doubt Proctor will see action for Australia in the August games, considering that he also needs to battle for his spot as an incoming player on what is potentially a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

New Zealand will probably field the same team, but if they have trouble with Gilas, they might need additional firepower against Iran and Jordan.

We need to finish third in our group.

That's the main mission.

DATE	MATCH
AUGUST 27 | THURSDAY	GILAS PILIPINAS VERSUS JORDAN
AUGUST 31 | SUNDAY	GILAS PILIPINAS VERSUS IRAN
NOVEMBER 27 | FRIDAY	SYRIA VERSUS GILAS PILIPINAS
NOVEMBER 30 | MONDAY	IRAN VERSUS GILAS PILIPINAS
FEBRUARY 25 | THURSDAY	JORDAN VERSUS GILAS PILIPINAS
FEBRUARY 28 | SUNDAY	GILAS PILIPINAS VERSUS SYRIA

And it's insane that some Gilas Pilipinas games fall on or around National Heroes' Day, Bonifacio Day, and the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Talk about fighting for pride and honor!

So let's see how this plays out. Hopefully, we get a win with our new-look Gilas, but most importantly, I hope they know their roles in the process. The most important part here is to get Quiambao, Tamayo, Abarrientos, and Gomez de Liano into the program.

LET'S GO, GILAS PILIPINAS!