Gilas Pilipinas begins Asian Games title defense with a new-look squad
Gilas Pilipinas begins its campaign to defend the men’s basketball gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games with a significantly different lineup from the team that ended the country’s 61-year title drought in Hangzhou.
The Philippines opens its title defense against Bahrain on September 11 in Nagoya, Japan, beginning a challenging tournament that will test whether the new-look national team can once again rise to the occasion on the Asian stage.
The men’s basketball competition will be held from September 10 to 20, ahead of the official Asian Games opening ceremony, with the 5-on-5 tournament taking place at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.
Coach Tim Cone is building the 2026 squad primarily around players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after several regular Gilas players based in Japan and South Korea became unavailable because the Asian Games falls outside the regular FIBA competition calendar.
That has left the Philippines with a roster that looks markedly different from the squad that won gold in Hangzhou in 2023.
A very different Gilas team
The Philippines will enter the tournament without several key players who have been part of its recent international campaigns.
Among those unavailable are Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo, while veteran center June Mar Fajardo has already retired from international basketball.
Cone has confirmed that RJ Abarrientos, Justin Arana and Justin Baltazar will be part of the Asian Games team, while players such as Robert Bolick and Adrian Nocum are among the prominent candidates for the final 12-man lineup.
The final roster, however, remained subject to confirmation as of September 1.
The changes mean Cone will have to build a team around a different mix of size, athleticism and offensive firepower.
With a smaller lineup compared with previous Gilas squads, the coach is expected to emphasize speed, quickness and an up-tempo style of basketball.
The approach could allow the Philippines to maximize its athleticism, but it also presents challenges against teams capable of exploiting Gilas’ lack of size in the frontcourt.
Brownlee remains the biggest question
Perhaps the most important unresolved issue surrounding the team is the availability of Justin Brownlee.
The veteran naturalized player played a pivotal role in Gilas’ historic 2023 Asian Games campaign, but his participation in Nagoya has yet to be confirmed.
Cone said the Philippines has reserved a roster spot for Brownlee, leaving the door open for his return if he is healthy enough to compete.
Brownlee had been dealing with leg, hamstring and knee problems and missed Gilas’ recent FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers games against Jordan and Iran.
His importance to the team is difficult to overstate.
In the 2023 Asian Games semifinals, Brownlee erupted for 33 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, as the Philippines overcame a 20-point deficit to stun host China, 77-76.
He followed that performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the championship game against Jordan as Gilas won 70-60 and captured the gold medal.
If Brownlee is healthy and commits to the team, his experience and scoring ability could provide a major boost to an otherwise revamped lineup.
No Kai Sotto, no June Mar Fajardo
The absence of Kai Sotto is another significant change.
Cone confirmed that Sotto would participate in the August FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers but would not be part of the Asian Games squad.
No specific reason was given for Sotto’s absence.
The 7-foot-3 center had recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff and helped Gilas defeat Jordan and Iran in the World Cup qualifiers, averaging 15.5 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one block across the two victories.
Sotto is currently unsigned after his contract in Japan expired, while his basketball future remained uncertain as he awaited developments regarding his eligibility to play in the US NCAA.
Meanwhile, Fajardo has officially ended his Gilas career.
The 36-year-old center retired from international basketball after more than a decade representing the Philippines, including three FIBA World Cup appearances and the historic Asian Games championship in 2023.
Overseas commitments reshape the roster
The absence of several other Gilas regulars is largely tied to the timing of the Asian Games.
Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu play in Japan, while Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo are based in South Korea. Because the Asian Games is outside the regular FIBA competition calendar, securing the release of overseas players becomes more difficult.
That prompted Cone and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to construct a separate team largely composed of PBA players.
It is a situation that creates both uncertainty and opportunity.
The new lineup may lack the familiarity and international experience of the 2023 champions, but it also gives a new generation of PBA standouts an opportunity to establish themselves on the Asian stage.
Boatwright unavailable
Another potential option has also been removed from consideration.
Bennie Boatwright will not play for Gilas in Nagoya because his naturalization and Philippine passport requirements were not completed in time.
Cone had identified Boatwright as a possible naturalized-player option, but with the passport unavailable before the tournament, Brownlee remains the preferred choice if he is healthy and willing to return.
A familiar opponent awaits
Gilas has been drawn into Group C alongside China, Bahrain and Kazakhstan.
The Philippines opens against Bahrain on September 11 before facing Kazakhstan the following day.
The group-stage schedule then culminates in a highly anticipated meeting with China on September 14.
The matchup carries plenty of history.
Three years ago in Hangzhou, Gilas stunned the host nation with one of the most memorable comebacks in Philippine basketball history.
The Philippines trailed China by 20 points before Brownlee and the Nationals completed the comeback for a dramatic 77-76 victory.
Now, the two teams meet again—this time in the group stage.
The circumstances, however, are very different.
The Philippines is defending the title with a largely new squad, while China will be eager to erase the memory of its painful semifinal defeat on home soil.
The road to another gold medal
After the group stage, the quarterfinals are scheduled for September 16, followed by the semifinals on September 18.
The medal games are set for September 20, with the bronze-medal game scheduled at 3:40 p.m. Philippine time and the gold-medal game at 6:40 p.m.
Gilas’ exact quarterfinal and semifinal schedules will depend on its group-stage finish and subsequent tournament results.
Gilas Pilipinas Asian Games schedule
September 11 — vs. Bahrain, 12 noon Philippine time
September 12 — vs. Kazakhstan, 6 p.m.
September 14 — vs. China, 12 noon
September 16 — Quarterfinals
September 18 — Semifinals
September 20 — Bronze-medal game or gold-medal game
Japan is one hour ahead of the Philippines, with the schedule above converted to Philippine time.
Can Gilas defend the crown?
The Philippines enters Nagoya as the reigning Asian Games champion, but repeating that achievement will be far from straightforward.
The team that conquered Hangzhou three years ago featured Brownlee, Fajardo and several established national-team stars. The 2026 squad, meanwhile, will be asked to succeed without many of those familiar faces.
The final roster and Brownlee’s availability could significantly affect Gilas’ chances.
Still, the mission remains unchanged.
Win gold.
The Philippines ended a 61-year wait for the Asian Games basketball championship in 2023. Now, a new-look Gilas team must prove that the victory in Hangzhou was not simply a one-time breakthrough.
For Cone and his players, the challenge is clear: adapt quickly, embrace the pressure and keep the gold in Philippine hands.
The title defense begins September 11.
Different players. Different circumstances. Same dream.
