Fans can expect a different look for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 SEA Games, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Erika Dy.
Gilas Piipinas cannot send more than one naturalized player to the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in December.
That’s because host Thailand is sticking to FIBA rules, meaning teams can only have one naturalized player in the tournament unlike in the previous editions of the regional meet.
“For the SEA Games, it's going to be tough. Especially because we received the Circular last week from the host. And they will be strict on FIBA rules,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy.
“So this means unlike past SEA Games where we can have Ange Kouame and Justin Brownlee being the same team, that's no longer going to happen. Unless we get Ange to be a local somehow. But I think it's going to take time for FIBA to even consider that.”
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This development from Thailand could also be a reaction to Camboadia 2023, where the host hoarded naturalized players across all sports including men's basketball. With a reinforced lineup, the Cambodian's won silver behind the Philippines.
“I think that's the idea of Thailand. Talagang halos lahat local talaga yung maglalalaro, yung mga dito lumaki,” Dy said.
However, changing the rules is the discretion of the SEA Games host nation, so Camboadia wasn’t exactly violating anything with regard to eligibility back then.
Still, building a team now will be tricky for the SBP because the schedule will be in conflict with local leagues like the UAAP, NCAA, and probably the PBA.
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“Yes, that's another challenge for us. Because in the past, the UAAP would start in July. And then in September, you would have the best players from the UAP and NCAA play in the SEA Games,” said Dy.
“But that is a challenge now because both leagues end in December as they start later in the year," she added.
So while fans can expect a different lineup this December for Gilas Pilipinas, Dy is confident they can whip up something in time for the SEA Games.
“Mahirap talaga sya. Pero magagawa natin yang paraan, especially with stakeholder meetings like this (SMB National Congress) where we put all our heads together. And we put our personal interests aside for the country,” she said.
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