FOLLOWING a tough quarterfinal loss in the FIBA Asia Cup, the Gilas Pilipinas team and its loyal supporters got some welcome news early Friday morning: Quentin Millora-Brown (QMB) has officially been cleared to play as a local.
As the team prepared for their return flight home, a surprising update quickly spread online—a shift in ruling that could significantly benefit Gilas Pilipinas in the future.
Leaving behind the rollercoaster of their recent campaign, the decision to reclassify QMB from a naturalized player to a local is a major lift for the squad, especially with their current frontcourt struggles.
Cone Gets Key Reinforcement
The 6-foot-10 former UP Fighting Maroon, along with his legal team, successfully proved to FIBA that he secured his Filipino passport before the age of 16, qualifying him to represent the country as a local.
This clearance makes QMB eligible for upcoming competitions, a development warmly welcomed by national team head coach Tim Cone, as reported by veteran Spin.ph journalist Homer Sayson.
“I haven’t heard that, but if that is the case, we would certainly welcome him,” the winningest PBA coach told the Tiebreaker Times.
It’s worth recalling that during Gilas Pilipinas’ matchup against Quentin Millora-Brown’s current team, the Macau Black Bears, coach Tim Cone had already voiced his admiration for the skills and potential of the Filipino-American big man.
“He’s awesome. I’d love to have him. He is physical. He gets to the offensive boards real well. Great size. But it’s not there yet,” Cone said of QMB.
A Dream Realized
In a separate report by All-Star Magazine’s Naveen Ganglani, QMB’s agent Tod Siedel also confirmed the news, emphasizing how much the 24-year-old big man has longed to represent the country and play under Cone.
“That is correct. Our lawyers Ale Mosca and Toni Verano were able to negotiate a successful final decision,” Siedel said.
“I’m just thrilled for QMB because he wanted to represent the Philippines so badly and I am grateful to FIBA for a favorable final decision,” he went on to say.
According to the report, Millora-Brown will be eligible to join the squad as early as the Asian Qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in November, as well as the team’s title defense in the Southeast Asian Games this December.
The prospect of Millora-Brown teaming up with Kai Sotto and AJ Edu in Gilas’ frontcourt—while going up against teams like Guam, New Zealand, and Australia—now feels closer to reality.
With Kevin Quiambao stepping up when it matters and Dwight Ramos continuing to deliver consistent performances, Gilas Pilipinas is clearly building something not just for the future, but for immediate success.
