Brownlee's absence confirmed
Gilas Pilipinas will head into the second round of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers without naturalized player Justin Brownlee, as confirmed by head coach Tim Cone on Monday during a press conference at the Pasay City sports arena. The national team will play two home games on August 28 and 30 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
"The big elephant in the room right now is Justin is not here and will most likely not play so that's a big adjustment," Cone told media, as reported by The Manila Times. Tiebreaker Times quoted Cone saying, "Justin is not here and we'll most likely be without him."
All-Filipino lineup for a crucial window
With Brownlee unavailable, Gilas will go all-Filipino for the fourth window, as reported by Tiebreaker Times. The Nationals face Jordan on August 28 and Iran on August 30 as they begin their Group E campaign. Cone admitted that "the margin of error has really dissipated for us," according to Tiebreaker Times.
Gilas enters the second round with a 2-4 record, tied with Syria, and is on a four-game losing skid. The team hopes to arrest that slide and galvanize its World Cup bid with victories over Jordan and Iran, as reported by The Manila Times.
Size as a counterbalance
Despite Brownlee's absence, Cone expressed confidence in his team's ability to handle Jordan and Iran, citing the presence of 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, and June Mar Fajardo. "With Kai here, then we got June Mar and AJ, we feel we have the size to be successful in this window," Cone added, as reported by The Manila Times.
Sotto will be playing for Gilas for the first time since November 22, 2024, nearly two years, when he teamed up with Brownlee in a historic 93-89 win against New Zealand at the same arena. Sotto is an expectant father, having married Filipina actress and model Rere Madrid a few months back, according to The Manila Times.
Players to fill the void
Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, and the rest of the Nationals will look to fill the void left by Brownlee, as reported by Tiebreaker Times.
Historical context
Gilas has beaten Jordan in their last meeting during the 2023 Asian Games, en route to winning the gold medal in Hangzhou, China, marking the country's first men's cage crown since 1962. The national team also beat a "locked and loaded" Iran side during its run-up to the Asian Games gold in 2023, as reported by The Manila Times.
Group E standings
Gilas is tied with Syria in Group E, which also includes Australia (6-0), Jordan and Iran (tied at 5-1), and New Zealand (4-2), according to The Manila Times.