THE Gilas Pilipinas, the country’s men’s national basketball team, will be honored once more at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night on January 29, 2024.

The beloved Philippine basketball team, which has seen numerous ups and downs over the last year, will be honored with a special President’s Award in the Diamond Hotel’s grand ballroom.

PSA President Nelson Beltran expressed his organization’s desire to celebrate one of the most significant achievements in Gilas history, saying, “They made the nation proud with their epic feat and inspiring story that will be told and retold for years to come.”

This came after the abruptly assembled squad, led by last-minute appointment Tim Cone, traveled to Hangzhou, China, for the 19th Asian Games with little expectations. 

Gilas had only three weeks to assemble a team that only included four players from the core that played in the FIBA World Cup.

Given the circumstances and experiences it had in the weeks leading up to the tournament, expectations were rather low, with varying degrees of criticism from everyone.

During the elimination round, Gilas fell to the Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-led Jordan squad, 87-62, a blowout win for a team that had been on a roll during the tournament.

Gilas faced the reigning champions China in the semis, where they unexpectedly came back from a 20-point deficit to advance and send the Jordan home in the finals.

Given their tenacity, the Filipinos rose to the occasion and staged one of the greatest comebacks in Asian Games history to reclaim the prized gold that had escaped them for 61 years.

ArenaPlus, the country’s biggest sports entertainment portal, is presenting the gala night, with significant sponsors including the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, PLDT/Smart, and MILO.