With both Brownlee and Boatwright unavailable, the best thing the federation could have done was to deploy a squad with extensive international experience or, at the very least, familiarity with Cone’s system.
Gilas Pilipinas is currently in South Korea, applying the finishing touches to its preparation for its title defense in the men’s basketball event of the v in Nagoya.
Despite parading a squad composed of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players, there’s still no denying the fact that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) struggled to assemble the best unit to represent the country in this prestigious continental showpiece.
First, the biggest piece of the championship puzzle, Justin Brownlee, is out.
The 38-year-old Brownlee is still in the United States recovering from multiple injuries, prompting Gilas coach Tim Cone to float the idea that they are ready to compete even with an 11-man roster.
With Brownlee out, the next reinforcement option was Bennie Boatwright, whose naturalization formally lapsed into law on 31 August. Unfortunately for the federation, the 6-foot-8 forward is not eligible to see action as he has yet to receive his Philippine passport — the primary requirement for players seeking accreditation in the Asian Games.
With both Brownlee and Boatwright unavailable, the best thing the federation could have done was to deploy a squad with extensive international experience or, at the very least, familiarity with Cone’s system.
Once again, it failed.
Of the 11 players on the final roster, only five have previous experience playing for Gilas: Robert Bolick, RJ Abarrientos, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar. Although 34-year-old Don Trollano was part of the pool that trained for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, he was dropped at the last minute to accommodate the surprise availability of National Basketball Association (NBA) standout Jordan Clarkson.
This is not to say that Sedrick Barefield, Adrian Nocum, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Zavier Lucero and Brandon Bates lack talent or the right to represent the country. All we’re saying is that the Asian Games is a different beast, and there’s tremendous pressure on the squad following a miraculous gold medal finish in Hangzhou in 2023.
In fact, during their first international game together, the Filipino cagers suffered a 25-point beating at the hands of South Korea, 56-81, in a friendly in Suwon.
It would have been better had the federation given these greenhorns a proper warm-up, such as an international pocket tournament or a regional event like the Southeast Asian Games, before deploying them in a major continental championship.
But the SBP opted not to, obvious proof that it ran out of options after Gilas veterans like Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo returned to their respective mother teams in Japan and Korea, while PBA standouts like CJ Perez, Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome took well-deserved breaks.
Adding to the SBP’s woes was June Mar Fajardo’s decision to retire from international play. His absence forced Cone to deploy a small roster that will rely on a run-and-gun brand of basketball — an approach far removed from the systematic, deliberate game plan that made him the winningest mentor in the PBA and one of the finest tactical minds in Asia.
So why are we stuck in this situation? What did the SBP do — or fail to do — that left us with no choice but to assemble a roster at the eleventh hour without a naturalized player?
Lack of foresight? Bad luck? Or both?
Look, the SBP was fully aware of the Asian Games calendar. It also knew that the deadline for the submission of the Entry By Name set by organizers was 25 July — meaning the federation had nearly two months to convince the 30 players on its long list to don the national colors.
Predictably, several big names declined because their respective leagues are in full swing around this time of year. Meanwhile, Brownlee retreated to the United States, leaving the program in limbo as he nursed multiple injuries.
If this was the case, the federation should have adjusted by naming its final pool much earlier.
The SBP should have assembled the team immediately and secured their release from their PBA clubs to maximize chemistry-building. After all, mastering Cone’s intricate system requires time, especially against the elite Asian competition.
Losing Brownlee and the unavailability of Boatwright or foreign-based stars may be beyond the SBP’s control. However, what is within its control is the amount of time the remaining pool receives to build a well-oiled unit capable of defending an Asian Games title.
We often say that the most important medal for the Filipinos in any international competition is in men’s basketball. The very least the SBP can do is treat the Asian Games with the utmost respect and foresight it demands.
The federation must stop relying on moral victories or last-minute miracles. It is high time for the SBP to build a sustainable system in forming a national team — one that delivers regardless of how tough, demanding, or impossible the circumstances may be.
