SEAG Eligibility Woes Hurting Gilas Pilipinas

Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame are not the only players who will not be around when Gilas Pilipinas competes in the men’s 5x5 basketball event of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy revealed that three more players were deemed ineligible while three others begged off as they help their team make a run for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) crown.

In a message to DAILY TRIBUNE, Dy confirmed that Mike Phillips, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Remy Martin were also declared ineligible by the SEA Games Organizing Committee while Geo Chiu, Jason Brickman and Dave Ildefonso begged off from donning the national colors after the Abra Solid North Weavers advanced to the championship round of the MPBL 2025 Season.

The development is a major blow to the country’s quest for its 20th gold medal as Gilas coach Norman Black is scrambling for players who will fill the void with barely a couple of weeks left before the biennial meet fires off at the Nimibutr Stadium.

“As of now, only local players are allowed to play,” said Dy, stressing that it is the host country’s prerogative to decide on the eligibility of SEA Games participants. 

“On the other hand, the Abra boys will not play due to conflict (in schedule).”

Interestingly, Phillips and Ganuelas-Rosser had already suited up for Gilas Pilipinas in the previous edition of the Games in Cambodia in 2023, but they were still declared ineligible for being born in the United States.

With Philips, Ganuelas-Rosser, Martin, Brickman, Ildefonso and Chiu as well as Kymani Ladi joining naturalized players Brownlee and Kouame at the sidelines, a total of nine — or  more than half of Black’s original roster — will not be playing in the region’s most prestigious basketball event. 

However, staying available are Matthew Wright, Ray Parks, Thirdy Ravena and Veejay Pre.  

Dy refused to name names but reports have it that Jamie Malonzo, Robert Bolick, Von Pessumal and Abu Tratter would serve as replacements. The federation can select from the 50 names they submitted to the organizers last September.

Earlier, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) ripped the SEA Games organizers for their inconsistent eligibility rules. 

“We’re meeting every night with the SEA Games Federation to the point of fighting them. I asked them why are they not yet releasing the final list of basketball players,” Tolentino said at the sidelines of the send-off ceremony for SEA Games athletes.

“It’s already November 28. It’s okay for us if they would disqualify everybody. But they should give us the final list.”

Tolentino, however, said he is hardly worried.

“They can still pull it off,” he said, beaming with confidence.  

“We will still win the gold.”