Gilas Pilipinas men’s team for the Asian Games 2026 basketball 5×5. –SBP PHOTO
Coach Tim Cone kept it short when asked about Gilas Pilipinas’ first opponent in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
“We have researched them the best we can and prepared,” Cone said on the eve (noon Manila time) of Friday’s matchup with Bahrain that will kick off Team Philippines’ campaign in the continental showcase and open the Filipinos’ title-retention bid.
Normally, Gilas would be favored to run roughshod over the Bahraini side that is not among the powerhouse teams in the Asian region.
But Gilas’ awful performance in losing two straight friendly matches against the South Koreans in an exhibition series in Suwon over the weekend, coupled with Bahrain tapping four naturalized players, has raised concerns over the team’s capability of retaining the gold, or at least qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Cone, however, feels his players are up to the task, amid Gilas’ worrisome situation.
“The guys feel ready,” he said.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas formally announced the 12 players who will look to contend despite not having most of Cone’s usual players in Fiba competitions—including naturalized player Justin Brownlee.
Justin Brownlee (with ball) will be a notable Gilas Pilipinas absentee. —FIBA PHOTOS
Expected to lead the squad are Robert Bolick, Adrian Nocum, Justine Baltazar, Zavier Lucero and Sedrick Barefield, who were on and off during the two South Korea matches.
Don Trollano, Justin Arana, RJ Abarrientos, Brandon Bates, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Jerrick Ahanmisi comprise the rest, while Calvin Oftana came in less than two days ago and completed the squad as a late addition.
Gilas will face head-on a Bahrain side that has maximized the passport-only rule by tapping JaKarr Sampson, Uros Ilic, Elijah Thomas and Austin Ajukwa.
Sampson stands 7 feet and played in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers; Ilic is listed at 6-foot-10 and Thomas is at 6-foot-11.
They, along with the 6-foot-6 Ajukwa, are expected to pose plenty of problems for the undersized Gilas team, which has Baltazar as its tallest player at 6-foot-9.
Gilas will need to secure a top-two finish or become one of the two best third-placers to advance from Group C to the knockout stages.
The Philippines is joined in the group by Kazakhstan and powerhouse China, which is expected to have an axe to grind after Gilas completed a Brownlee-led comeback in the semifinals at the Hangzhou Asiad three years ago.
Team Philippines went on to snap a 61-year drought as king of basketball in the region when it outlasted Jordan in the gold medal game.