After winning the appeal at FIBA to consider him as a local, Quentin Millora-Brown is showing his value for Gilas Pilipinas.
Quentin Millora-Brown is relishing the opportunity to learn the ropes from Gilas Pilipinas big men as he joined the pool for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
“Their knowledge is so valuable,” QMB told reporters after the national team wrapped up Thursday’s practice, November 20 at the Upper Deck gym.
[RELATED STORY: Juan GDL, Quentin Millora-Brown looking good so far for Gilas]
Millora-Brown was of course referring to seasoned players like nine-time MVP June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar.
In a complicated but tried-and-tested triangle system of coach Tim Cone, having the aforementioned veterans point you in the right direction is a big deal for Millora-Brown.
“They’ve been in the system too. For me listening to them is really great. If I forget something, they put me in the right direction and then I can pick it up from there,” said the former one-and-done University of the Philippines ace.
“As long as I’m in the right place, now OK I can recognize ‘where do I go next?’ And when I make a mistake they just push me right to the right spot.”
[ALSO READ: Kai Sotto joins Gilas prep for FIBA WC Asian Qualifiers, targets return by January]
The 6-foot-10 cager is one of the two newest members of the national team pool preparing for the first window against Guam on the road and at home.
So far, QMB has left Cone impressed.
“We don’t have AJ (Edu) here, so having Q is big for us at this point. And it’s good either way because we can focus on him a little bit more and get a little bit deeper in teaching him,” said Cone in a separate interview.
Gilas has yet to release the final lineup that will go to battle in the island nation in the Pacific (November 28) before hosting its foes at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym on December 1.
[ALSO READ: Gilas' Brownlee relieved after pneumonia scare: 'Happy to be healthy’]
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.