Aguilar leaving Gilas Pilipinas in good hands

Japeth Aguilar was at peace when he formally decided to retire from Gilas Pilipinas prior to their game against Guam in the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers late Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym inside the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City.

The 38-year-old slotman said he will be walking away with a grateful heart, believing that the national squad will be good hands with the emergence of a new generation of stars like Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Quentin Millora-Brown, Dwight Ramos and Carl Tamayo.

“The players we have are very promising. If that group stays together, it will go far,” said Aguilar, who formally closed the curtains of his stellar international career with three points in Gilas Pilipinas’ 95-71 victory over the visiting Guamanians.

“I am thankful for the moment that I was able to be with the future of Gilas on and off the court.”

Armed with a deadly brew of height, length, speed and athleticism, the former Ateneo star used to be one of the cornerstones of the national squad.

He was part of the young group of college stars tapped by Serbian coach Rajko Toroman to represent the country in various international events in 2009. Although Toroman left, Aguilar stayed around, joining the teams of national coaches Chot Reyes, Yeng Guiao and Tim Cone in a 16-year international career.

All in all, he saw action in three FIBA Basketball World Cups in 2014 in Spain, 2019 in China and 2023 in the Philippines and represented the country in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, playing a crucial role in the Hangzhou Asiad in 2023, where the Filipinos won their first gold medal in 61 years.

Aguilar said he was supposed to retire when they won the Asian Games crown that was highlighted by a dramatic semifinal victory over host China.

“There were many times where I felt it would be fitting to retire like when we won the gold medal in the Asian Games. But this one is sweeter since it is nostalgic to me,” said Aguilar, who walked away from Gilas at the Blue Eagle Gym — the same venue where his basketball dreams took shape.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone believes that Aguilar still has a lot of gas left in his tank. But with the recovery of the 7-foot-3 Sotto from a knee injury and the spectacular performance of Millora-Brown and Edu, Cone realized that it’s time for Aguilar to go and focus his energy on Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“It just brings back the idea of how much he’s contributed over the years, thinking this was his last one but he’s played so many over the years. As I told him, his wife, Cassie, when she sees my wife, she always tells my wife, ‘Can you please allow Japeth to retire so that he can spend more time with his kids and focus on his Ginebra career?’” Cone said.

“And I keep saying no. I’ve said no for the last two or three years. But with Kai coming back, hopefully, in February, there’s a chance that now, we can let Japeth retire.”