The Gilas Pilipinas U16 squad remains a work in progress following its bronze-medal finish in the Japan B.League U16 Challenge Cup in Tokyo last week.

Gilas U16 coach Andre Santos said shooting remains their top priority not just for the SEABA U16 Championships but also for the 2027 FIBA U16 Asia Cup in Jordan.

With rising stars like Sam Esomchi, Jayson Mercado, Emman Simple, and Brielle Salazar at the helm, the Filipinos finished with a 3-1 win-loss record in the prestigious Japanese showpiece capped by a convincing 78-72 victory over Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in the bronze-medal match at the Sumida City Gymnasium.

“Where we clearly stand out as Filipinos is our effort and our hustle. Our advantage over all teams was rebounding, but we really have to develop the skills of our players, especially their shooting,” Santos said during his guesting at Off the Court, the weekly sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE, last Thursday.

“Every Japanese club that we faced had at least two or three shooters who could really knock down shots. That’s something we really have to develop heading into the U16 SEABA and, hopefully, the Asia Cup next year.”

Santos, who also serves as an assistant coach for San Beda University, said they are not just looking for the best talent available but also for players who can complement each other so they can function as one solid unit.

“The preparation really has to start very early. Whether it’s joining tournaments, playing tune-up games, or practicing early, we need to develop chemistry and have more time to teach the players,” Santos said.

“Our goal is really to form the best pool, create the best lineup for SEABA, develop those players and, hopefully, qualify for the Asia Cup and finish in the top four.”

Aside from shooting, Santos said they will have to recruit players who are willing to hustle for loose balls.

“In U16, the most important thing is having guys who can gain possessions, guys who hustle, rebound and force turnovers. Possessions are the game at the U16 level,” Santos, one of the assistant coaches of Gilas Pilipinas coach Norman Black in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, said.

“It’s still important to surround those hustle guys with shooters.”

Santos emphasized that their goal is to return to the semifinals of the Asia Cup for the first time since their fourth-place finish in the 2023 edition in Doha.

Gilas Youth of Kiefer Alas and Joaquin Ludovice reached the semifinals and booked a spot in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey. Then, Gilas Youth failed to reach the semifinals of the 2025 Asia Cup in Mongolia after finishing 10th.