A quicker and more agile Gilas Pilipinas will march to the battlefield to defend the gold medal in next week’s Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The Philippines fields a different lineup from the Gilas crew that won back-to-back games in the fourth window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers over the weekend for the continental sports meet’s basketball showpiece.

Size poses a big challenge for head coach Tim Cone and his all-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star-composed Gilas squad after the retirement of veteran center 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo, 6-foot-11 AJ Edu’s unavailability due to his club commitment, and 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto not on the shortlist of names submitted to organizers.

Cone said the team has to rely on speed and an up-tempo game to compensate for its sudden ceiling disadvantage.

“It’s a different system. They’re not playing my system,” said Cone, who admitted to being a big man-oriented mentor.

The decorated tactician tasked his deputies Jong Uichico, Richard del Rosario and Josh Reyes with the handling the Asiad squad’s build-up, while he was overseeing the FIBA window team’s preparation and campaign.

“They’re playing a different system and more of an up-tempo push-the-ball (game) because they’re a little bit smaller. Obviously, they’re smaller because they don’t have Kai and AJ and June Mar playing. So, they’re smaller,” Cone said.

“So, they’re going to use their speed and quickness to get up and down the floor.”

Gilas started training Tuesday, before flying to Korea today for its final preparation, including a couple of friendlies against the Korean national team. The Nationals will then travel to Japan for the competition slated to run from 10 to 20 September.

Bannering the PBA-backed Gilas are Robert Bolick, Zav Lucero and Sedrick Barefield, with FIBA window big men Justin Baltazar and Justine Arena and reserve guard RJ Abarrientos reinforcing the team.

Cone is also hoping for naturalized player Justin Brownlee to rejoin Gilas after skipping the World Cup Qualifiers’ second round opener because of “not being healthy enough” to contribute due to a spate of injuries.

The 38-year-old workhorse was instrumental in the Philippines ending a 61-year gold medal drought three years ago in the pandemic-delayed Hangzhou edition.

Gilas is in Group C with China, which it beat in the semifinal in the previous Asiad, Bahrain and Kazakhstan.

The Philippines begins its repeat bid on 11 September against Bahrain. Gilas battles Kazakhstan the following day before ending its Group C assignment against the Chinese on the 14th.

Meanwhile, forward Caelan Tiongson has also begged off from joining the team due to personal matters.

The 6-foot-4 Rain or Shine star is the third player to skip a tour of duty after the earlier withdrawals of Jason Perkins and Jordan Heading.