SBP’s Ultimate Goal: 2028 LA Olympics
The Samahan ng Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio might be disappointed that Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics but still optimistic that they can work on to reach the ultimate goal of making it to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Earlier this year, Gilas head coach Tim Cone said that “The ultimate goal for the SBP is to make it to the LA Olympics, I think that’s the ultimate goal. That’s what they are looking for,”
They have tried to reach the Olympic goal this year in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) held in Latvia. They upset the host team and FIBA’s No. 6 ranked team during their match-up in the group stage.
Gilas was defeated by the No. 23 ranked Georgia narrowly in their next assignment ending in a three-way tie at their group but superior quotient points gave Latvia and the Philippines the advantage of moving to the next round. In the crossover Semis, the No. 37 ranked Philippines bowed down to No. 12 ranked Brazil who overcame a double-digit lead in the first half. Brazil eventually won the OQT in Latvia after defeating the host team in the finals.
Panlilio might be disappointed that the nation’s pride team didn’t make it to Paris but he has seen a glimpse of hope for the team’s future endeavors especially in targeting the ultimate goal of making it to the LA Olympics.
“In the OQT in Latvia, we proved we can compete with the best in the world,” said Panlilio. “Our vision is to go to LA through the World Cup by becoming the highest Asian finisher. In Latvia, I felt we had a 50-50 chance against Brazil in the semis if only Kai (Sotto) played and even if only for five to 10 minutes to make an impact like Willis Reed (with the New York Knicks in Game Seven of the 1970 NBA Finals). Kai was cleared by doctors to play and joined the shootaround but just before the game, he told (coach) Tim (Cone) he couldn’t play because he was still in pain. If only we had (AJ) Edu, June Mar (Fajardo) wouldn’t have had to extend himself. If we had Jamie (Malonzo) and Scottie (Thompson), maybe we would’ve gone to the final, who knows? But we showed we can compete with the big boys.”
To reach the goal of making it in the 2028 Olympics, there are two ways the Philippines can earn a ticket.
The first way is to finish as the highest-placed Asian country in the FIBA World Cup to be held in Qatar on August 27-September 12, 2027. The second route is to top one of the four FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. Both paths will require qualifiers that will make the route difficult. But the more doable path is to clinch the slot in the FIBA World Cup.
Gilas Naturalized Players
As for Gilas naturalized players, Panlilio said the 36-year-old star Justine Brownlee continues to shine in donning the Philippine colors.
SBP is in the process of naturalizing the 28-year-old and 6'10" forward/center Bennie Boatwright, for the future. Meanwhile, ex-Ateneo big man and UB Chartres Métropole player Ange Kouame, 26, is available as a backup.
In tournaments like the SEA Games where only a passport is required for eligibility, it’s an option to enlist more than one naturalized player.
Coaching Duties
In the SBP’s lined up a four-year program, Cone’s term as Gilas coach is year-to-year. He has put together a 12-man team that he intends to keep for the next four years, but is open to minor tweaks throughout the build-up.
“But ultimately, in the fourth year, we want to be playing in the Qatar World Cup. We have to qualify first but we want to be playing in the Qatar World Cup and we want to be finishing first in Asia, and get that berth in the LA Olympics. That’s been clear to me. That’s the goal of the SBP,” said Cone.
Part of the build-up for the long term is the coming first window of the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers. Gilas Pilipinas won their first two games of the said tournament, the first was against Hong Kong last February 22 and the second was over the Chinese Taipei team last February 25. The next one will be a battle against world No. 21 ranked New Zealand on November 21.
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The San Miguel Beermen held off a fierce rally from the Meralco Bolts, clinching a 110-98 victory in a retro-themed showdown as the PBA marked its golden anniversary on Wednesday, April 9, at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
In a game that celebrated both history and high-level basketball, the Beermen donned vintage uniforms inspired by the 1982 season, while the Bolts sported kits reminiscent of the Reddy Kilowatts era from the 1970s. The nostalgia-filled atmosphere set the stage for a clash worthy of the league’s 50-year legacy.
San Miguel notched its second straight win in the Philippine Cup to move to 2-0, while Meralco suffered its first loss, falling 2-1.
June Mar Fajardo once again anchored the Beermen with a commanding performance, putting up 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. CJ Perez led all scorers with 29 markers, alongside five boards, four dimes, and two deflections, delivering when it mattered most.
The Beermen came out strong, building a 17-point lead, 50-33, late in the second quarter before heading into the break with a 52-38 advantage.
However, the Bolts refused to back down. Behind the efforts of Chris Newsome and Kurt Reyson, Meralco stormed back in the third period.
Newsome dropped 11 points, while Reyson added nine as the duo combined for more than half of the Bolts’ 36 points in the quarter. By the end of the frame, Meralco had cut the deficit to just three, 77-74.
Still, San Miguel showed poise in the final period. A 10-2 run sparked by a Perez layup and capped by back-to-back triples from Perez and Juami Tiongson pushed the lead back to double digits, 92-81.
Meralco mounted one last surge, with Reymar Jose and Aaron Black scoring consecutively to trim the gap to 101-95 with just under three minutes left. But San Miguel responded with a game-sealing 6-0 run to restore a comfortable cushion at 105-97, ultimately closing out the victory.
"They were able to cut the lead, but because of our experience, especially June Mar, they know how to deal with those kinds of situations," said San Miguel head coach Leo Austria.
"They were able to cut the lead, but because of our experience, especially June Mar, they know how to deal with those kinds of situations,” he added.
The Beermen also drew solid contributions from Jeron Teng, who chipped in 11 points, three rebounds, and a steal, and Rodney Brondial, who added nine markers, nine boards, a dime, and a block in a well-rounded effort.
For the Bolts, team captain Newsome led the charge with 27 points, seven assists, and four rebounds, while Reyson provided energy off the bench with 14 markers in a gritty performance.
The Scores:
San Miguel 110 – Perez 29, Fajardo 28, Teng 11, Brondial 9, Lassiter 8, Tiongson 7, Rosales 7, Tautuaa 6, Trollano 5, Cahilig 0.
Meralco 98 – Newsome 27, Reyson 14, Black 12, Jose 12, Hodge 10, Cansino 8, Bates 6, Almazan 5, Quinto 4, Torres 0, Rios 0, Caram 0, Pascual 0.
Quarter Scores: 25-21, 52-38, 77-74, 110-98.
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) announced on Wednesday, April 2, the final 10 names completing its 50 Greatest Players list, as the league prepares to celebrate its 50th Founding Anniversary on April 9.
Joining the prestigious list are Nelson Asaytono, Jeffrey Cariaso, Rene “Bong” Hawkins Jr., June Mar Fajardo, Abraham Columbus “Abe” King Jr., Daniel Charles “Danny” Seigle, Earl Scottie Thompson, Arnulfo “Arnie” Tuadles, Manuel “Manny” Victorino, and Elpidio “Yoyoy” Villamin.
The PBA first honored its 25 Greatest Players in 2000 as part of its 25th anniversary. The inaugural list featured:
- William “Bogs” Adornado
- Freddie Hubalde
- Robert “Sonny” Jaworski Sr.
- Fortunato “Atoy” Co
- Philip Cezar
- Ramon Fernandez
- Alberto “Abet” Guidaben
- Ricardo Brown
- Allan Caidic
- Venancio “Benjie” Paras
- Alvin Patrimonio
- Renato “Ato” Agustin
- Vergel Meneses
- Johnny Abarrientos
- Kenneth Duremdes
- Francis Arnaiz
- Bernard “Bernie” Fabiosa
- Danilo “Danny” Florencio
- Lim Eng Beng
- Isabelo “Jojo” Lastimosa
- Avelino “Samboy” Lim
- Jerry Codiñera
- Manuel “Manny” Paner
- Ronnie Magsanoc
- Hector Calma
TNT extended the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals to a decisive Game 7 after securing a hard-fought 87-83 victory over Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday night, March 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Giga bounced back from their Game 5 struggles—where tensions flared between Poy Erram and head coach Chot Reyes—by delivering a composed and determined performance in front of 17,654 fans, the largest PBA crowd in two seasons.
Erram, who was at the center of controversy in the previous game, stepped up when it mattered the most.
The Ateneo de Manila product poured in 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, knocking down crucial baskets, including a three-pointer and a reverse layup, during a pivotal 9-0 run that gave TNT its biggest lead of the night at 72-62. He also calmly sank key free throws in the final minutes to fend off Ginebra’s late surge.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led TNT’s charge with a stellar all-around performance, posting a game-high 29 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
Despite missing two crucial free throws earlier, he redeemed himself by calmly sinking a pair of charities with six seconds left, securing the win as Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson misfired on a desperate four-point attempt.
Rey Nambatac also played a key role, contributing 23 markers, including a crucial four-pointer that put TNT ahead at the end of the third quarter, 63-62—a lead they never relinquished. He also registered five boards and three deflections to earn Best Player of the Game.
Calvin Oftana was also instrumental in the win as he chipped in 14 points, drilling four three-pointers.
On the other side, Justin Brownlee paced Ginebra with 22 markers, seven boards, four dimes, and two rejections but struggled with ball security, committing a game-high seven turnovers.
Thompson managed 12 points but shot 4-of-11, while RJ Abarrientos, returning to action, added 12 markers on 5-of-7 shooting.
The PBA last saw a Game 7 championship showdown in the 2022-2023 Commissioner’s Cup when Ginebra defeated the Bay Area Dragons before a record crowd of 54,589 at the Philippine Arena.
With the best-of-seven series now tied at 3-3, TNT and Ginebra will battle for the championship in a high-stakes Game 7 showdown on Friday, March 28, at the Big Dome.
The Scores:
TNT 87 – Hollis-Jefferson 29, Nambatac 23, Oftana 14, Erram 14, Khobuntin 4, Pogoy 3, Heruela 0, Aurin 0, Williams 0.
GINEBRA 83 – Brownlee 22, Thompson 12, Abarrientos 12, Holt 11, J. Aguilar 11, Malonzo 6, Rosario 6, Ahanmisi 3.
Quarter Scores: 22-22; 38-42; 63-62; 87-83.