PBA and national team legend Mon Fernandez gave his two cents on Gilas Pilipinas’ recent struggles in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, where the national team lost to both Australia and New Zealand.
For Mon Fernandez, Gilas Pilipinas must take the hand that they're dealt with in stride on the heels of their recent struggles in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, where the Filipinos exited in the quarterfinals against eventual champion Australia.
While others may point to the disparity among Asian and Oceania teams in the regional competition, the 71-year-old PBA great said that it is a reality that Asian teams — and Gilas Pilipinas — must learn to face because that is what the competition is now.
Growing small in size along with their Asian counterparts, Gilas Pilipinas must learn to cope with the disadvantages that have come with Australia and New Zealand’s inclusion in the FIBA Asia zone.
“Well, that’s sports, that’s basketball. Things really happened not favoring us, every now and then. We just have to continue. Keep on training and keep on preparing for future tournaments like that,” Fernandez said during his recent guesting on One News’ Power & Play.
“But we must also admit that lumiliit talaga ang Asia, considering that Australia and New Zealand are part now of the continent.”
In fact, the Philippines did face both Australia and New Zealand in the Asia Cup, with Gilas being grouped with the Tall Blacks in the preliminary phase of the tournament.
[RELATED: Dwight Ramos sticks to positive mindset after 'tough' FIBA Asia Cup for Gilas]
Suffering lopsided losses in both instances, Fernandez said that Philippine cagers must hold themselves to a higher standard and work on conquering the likes of the Boomers and the Tall Blacks, rather than just chalk up their losses to a predisposed disadvantage.
With height long being an area where Filipino basketball players lacked, Gilas must now work harder to make ground with craftiness and tenacity.
Aspiring to be the best not just in Asia but in the world, Fernandez said they must deal with what is in front of them with vigor.
“So, it’s really like that. Wala tayong magagawa. We just have to keep on training and practicing and hoping our boys will perform to the best of their abilities,” he said.
Gilas Pilipinas will have a few months of hiatus before returning to action in November in the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Then next year as part of the same qualifiers, the Philippines will once again face both Australia and New Zealand for four games.