THOUGHTS | THE GILAS PILIPINAS 2027 ROADMAP TO QATAR IS NOW

They say the best way to shake up a tournament is to take out the top dogs early.

For Gilas Pilipinas, that means making sure Guam gets steamrolled.

Why?

Because in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Gilas finds itself in Group A alongside juggernauts Australia and New Zealand. It's a tough draw, and the only surefire way to stay alive is to sweep Guam and lock in a second-round spot.

From there, the top three teams of Group A will cross over with Group C, which includes Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. Meanwhile, Group B becomes an all-East Asian warzone featuring China, Korea, Japan, and Chinese Taipei, who will go on to face Group D’s Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, and host nation Qatar. Just like in 2023, Qatar gets an automatic ticket to the Final 8, leaving everyone else to fight for the remaining seven spots.

The road is brutal. But with a complete and healthy roster, Gilas has a fighting chance—even against New Zealand. Guam, as expected, should be the easiest matchup. In Group C, Iran remains a consistent powerhouse, but Syria and Iraq are more manageable. Jordan is a toss-up, especially with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leading the charge as their naturalized player.

The key issue for Gilas?

Health and aging.

By 2027, Justin Brownlee will be 39, June Mar Fajardo and Chris Newsome will be 37, the “next gen” core—Scottie Thompson, Calvin Oftana, Arvin Tolentino, CJ Perez, Robert Bolick, Jordan Heading, Justine Baltazar, and Jamie Malonzo—will all be in their 30s, Rhenz Abando will be pushing 30, and Japeth Aguilar may already be retired at 40.

The future relies on continued development and commitment. We still have the likes of Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, RJ Abarrientos, Justin Arana, Mason Amos, and other promising names from Japan, Korea, and other leagues. But to maximize their impact, they need to be integrated now. 

It’s not Group A that’s the real problem.

It’s the mentality we bring if and when we make it to Group C.

Yes, Australia and New Zealand might serve up blowouts or gut-wrenching losses. But if Gilas allows itself to spiral into a defeatist mindset, we’re done before the next round begins.

Enter Plan B.

Jordan Clarkson.

Tim Cone must revisit his relationship with Clarkson, who will be 34 in 2027. The Utah Jazz shooting guard averaged 16.2 PPG this season but missed 45 games due to plantar fasciitis. With his contract nearing its end and Utah leaning toward a youth rebuild, Clarkson may be in the middle of trade talks, meaning FIBA commitments could complicate his future. Still, he’s a valuable fallback should Brownlee's eligibility or health be in question.

There’s also talk of naturalizing former San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright. At 6’10”, he fills the size gap, but Gilas might benefit more from a scoring-centric naturalized player—something Boatwright isn’t known for.

With the qualifying windows set to begin in November and run through February 2027, every win counts and carries over. It’s critical that Gilas gets full support—be it from the PBA, SBP, or college leagues.

FAST-TRACKING YOUNG TALENT MIGHT BE NECESSARY

Let’s be real: collegiate “free agency” is hurting more than it’s helping. It’s eating up the prime years of young talents like Lebron Lopez, just 21 years old and already making moves in Japan’s B.League after his stint with the UP Fighting Maroons. Instead of spending time bouncing between schools or waiting out residency rules, he chose to turn pro abroad. Can you blame him?

Take UP, for instance. They recently lost JD Cagulangan to Korea, Quentin Millora-Brown to graduation, and a handful of others to San Beda. With so much instability, it’s no wonder Lebron Lopez took his talents abroad rather than accept the load of carrying a rebuilding UP to another championship.

The system’s so clogged that someone like CJ Perez, who’s about to turn 32, has only been a pro for six years. That timeline just doesn’t make sense anymore.

If a player is that good, they should have options beyond endless college tours. Maybe a two-way deal with the PBA and his school, or even a setup with the MPBL, could help him transition without riding the bench.

The reality is, when MVPs in other leagues are younger than your rookies, something’s got to change. Just look at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — seven years in the NBA and now an MVP candidate — and he’s about the same age as Perez was when he entered the PBA.

If Gilas wants a stronger youth movement, they need to clear paths for players like Lopez to go pro sooner.

Tim Cone’s tight rotation system also means we need quality depth. Rhenz Abando playing in the PBA would help with availability concerns, and it’s time to look at names from the "farm" teams—Sedrick Barefield (if FIBA-eligible), Zav Lucero, Adrian Nocum, Kai Ballungay, and former Gilas cadet Will Navarro. Navarro, in particular, could be Cone’s utility guy—a taller, more versatile Freddie Abuda-type who already knows the international scene.

Even Javi Gomez de Liaño should be considered. If he's returning from Korea, let’s find him a spot on an SMC-aligned team or even Terrafirma to keep him within reach for Gilas duties.

The plan for 2027 needs to start now. The SBP must instill a “smashmouth, never say die” mentality in these players, and back that mindset with trust and proper usage. Sacrificing for the flag doesn’t mean riding the bench.

Lastly, why not rethink the Asian imports policy? In the past, we recruited top Middle Eastern talent, only to bench them into irrelevance. We’ve done it to Rodrigue Akl, Mohammad Jamshidi, Imad Qahwash, and Sam Daghles. If we’re serious about preparing for the 2027 grind, maybe it's time we get a real look at talents like Benham Yakhchali (Iran), Pranav Prince (India), Ahmad Dwairi (Jordan), Ihab Al-Zuhairi (Iraq), or Muhammad Ali Abdurrakhman (Saudi Arabia) via our local leagues.

Gilas doesn’t just need a plan.

They need a movement.

One built on continuity, commitment, and belief.

Get Sydrified.