Gilas Pilipinas looks to take back the gold medal in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
A lot will be at stake for Gilas Pilipinas when it competes in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Gilas will be looking to avenge their second place finish in the previous iteration of the games—this time with a much-improved pool.
According to SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, there’s no other goal for Gilas than to win the gold medal.
“No tomorrow 'yung gold dun eh,” said Barrios on Noli Eala’s program Power and Play, “Si [SBP] President Al Panlilio, if you should listen to him in our internal meetings, he cannot overemphasize to the team na there's no other way, we simply have to win the gold.”
Barrios added that there’s no more excuse for the national team as compared to before, given the talent that is available for Gilas.
“Wala na tayong palusot dito, palusot doon. Kapag hindi tayo nanalo ng gold, patay na tayo,” said Barrios.
But finding and picking players that will take part in the tournament has been difficult for the SBP. Barrios added that the exodus of some of the country’s brightest prospects to foreign leagues has also made it difficult for them in adding more players in the pool.
“Nung una, ‘yun lang so-called schedule ng PBA, schedule ng UAAP, schedule ng NCAA, ‘yung mga yun nagiging somewhat balakid, pero we find solutions,” said Barrios.
“Nadagdagan pa nga nitong exodus ng talent and alam naman ng lahat hindi pipityuging talent yung nawawala.”
Based on the SBP’s pool for the upcoming SEA Games, there will be no Japan B.League and Korean Basketball League players given that the tournament is not FIBA-sanctioned.
“'Yung kanilang mga kontrata sa kanya-kanyang foreign ballclub, kapag FIBA-sanctioned tournament, ire-release sila X days before, eh 'yang SEAG hindi 'yun kasama sa kontrata nila,” said Barrios. “So 'yun 'yung adjustments we had to make depending on, as they say, the cards that are dealt to us for a specific tournament.”
All eyes will be on Gilas come May when they look for payback and try to bring home the gold once more.