Gilas Pilipinas U18 gets its feet wet as it is set to play in the 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup which starts on 17 May.

The national youth team is stepping up to the plate, getting a much-needed workout before it embarks in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in Krabi, Thailand.

“It’s our immense honor to welcome our national team to the premier preseason league,” league chairman Virgil Villavicencio said.

“This is our own little way of helping the Gilas Youth program prepare for battle, equipping them with valuable experience against tougher and more experienced opponents with the collegiate teams while also adding more spice to this year’s competitions.”

The Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup is a full-fledged member of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), with Villavicencio a longtime part of the federation’s brain trust.

Coached by Juno Sauler, the Gilas Youth team is parading some of the top young players in the country, among them being Chog Moral, Prince Cariño, Shaun Lucido, Lian Basa and Andwele Cabañero, as it completes this edition’s 18-team field.

The national youth team will be slotted in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Group, where it will face defending preseason champion University of the Philippines, reigning UAAP king De La Salle University, perennial contenders University of Santo Tomas, National University, and the promising crews of Adamson University and Ateneo de Manila University.

University of the East has opted to skip this year’s preseason tilt.

If triumphant in the SEABA Qualifiers, Gilas Youth will shift its attention to the preparations for the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup in Qatar come September.

This is the first time that a national team is joining the famed preseason tilt since 2018, when the Gilas Cadets of coach Jong Uichico paraded Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, Thirdy Ravena, Kobe Paras and Robert Bolick.