THE GILAS Pilipinas have suffered another blow to their current lineup as they prepare for the highly anticipated FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, with Scottie Thompson being ruled out.
Just before the training camp at Inspire Sports Academy began, AJ Edu and Jamie Malonzo were believed to be out of the event. Thompson is now in the same situation, since he is also recovering from an injury.
The 6-foot-1 guard, who is highly familiar with Gilas head coach Tim Cone’s current system, is nursing an injury incurred during their PBA Semifinals series versus champions Meralco Bolts.
The team manager, Richard Del Rosario, verified this in a PBA report. The former PBA MVP’s injury is still troubling him, so he opted out of the event.
Photo Courtesy: FIBA
Thompson was exceptional at setting up Gilas’ offense during the first round of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. He averaged 3.5 points, 9.0 assists, and 2.5 rebounds.
This demonstrates that Thompson’s absence would be a significant loss not simply in terms of running the established system, but also in terms of defensive grit and on-court brilliance.
Despite this, Del Rosario stated that it is unlikely that Gilas will find a last-minute replacement for Thompson, given the amount of time left to prepare for the event.
“Wala pang sigurado (na kapalit) kasi kailangan ng visa. Baka hindi umabot,” Del Rosario remarked Friday, as the team began a three-day, closed-door training session in Laguna.
Who will replace him?
Fans are still clamoring to choose a successor from Gilas’ preliminary pool. Some of the names that came up included Rhenz Abando, Jordan Heading, Matthew Wright, and Ray Parks Jr.
However, problems are preventing them from joining the squad. Abando and Heading have already committed to competing in the Jones Cup alongside Strong Group Athletics, who also represent the Philippines.
According to a report, SGA squad owner Jacob Lao stated his support and willingness to let Gilas borrow both of his players if the team truly needed them. Just as his father, Frank Lao, said, “Basta’t para sa bansa, go agad.”
“Yes, willing kami pahiram sina Heading and Abando if need sila ng Gilas. I heard nakausap na nila yung dalawa at nagsabi nga na may commitment. Kung kami yung commitment na yun, with open arms, ipapahiram namin sila sa Gilas,” said Lao.
“Para sa bansa ito, so we need to help out. Need naming mag-sacrifice kasi kailangan sila ng national team. If they need these two players or some other players na nasa team namin, SBP can always make that call.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Wright’s Canadian visa has expired and may only be renewed by June 28. Parks, on the other hand, is under an existing contract with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the Japan B.League.
If no replacements are available and time is of the essence, the national team may be forced to travel to Latvia with only 11 players, taking the higher route to qualify for the only ticket to Olympics.
Photo Courtesy: Inspire Sports Academy Philippines | Facebook
Currently, the players that are present in the bubble is naturalized Pinoy Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao, and Mason Amos (replacement for Malonzo).
Along with PBA veterans June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana, and Japeth Aguilar, who replaced Edu. Practice players Ralph Cu and Donald Gumaru are also present, aiding the team’s practices.
Tonight, the squad will face the Taiwan Mustangas, led by Dwight Howard, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. Gilas Pilipinas welcomes its fans, who are admitted free of charge.
Following this send-off exhibition game, the national team will depart for Europe tomorrow to play two friendly games against the national teams of Turkey and Poland.
During the qualifiers, the Philippines will be divided into two groups: Georgia and Latvia in Group A, and Cameroon, Brazil, and Montenegro in Group B. Only one team will proceed to the Olympics.
