Gilas Pilipinas will play New Zealand and Australia in the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers without Kai Sotto.
A tall task — literally and figuratively — awaits Gilas Pilipinas in the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
With Kai Sotto still out and Japeth Aguilar now retired, the brunt of the load downlow falls on nine-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo against regional powerhouses New Zealand and Australia.
But the 6-foot-10 slotman isn’t really worried, stressing it was a team game. After all, young guns in AJ Edu and Quentin Millora-Brown reinforce the team set to fire off the said window on February 26 against the Tall Blacks.
“Gagawin ko yung best ko, bibigay ko yung best ko sa darating na window. Andyan naman din teammates ko. May mga plays naman, 'di lang naman ako maglalaro,” Fajardo told One Sports.
Though he already returned to action with the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League, Sotto opted not to rush things and sit out this window.
Fajardo and Gilas first test the mettle of the Tall Blacks, before taking on world No. 6 Boomers on March 1, both at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Nearly a year ago, the Sotto-led Nationals pulled off a scalp against New Zealand in the Asia Cup Qualifiers at the same venue.
Meanwhile, Australia booted out Gilas, 84-60 in the 2025 Asia Cup quarterfinals.
Despite the odds stacked against them, Fajardo and Gilas are out to change the narrative against their perennial tormentors.
“Gagawin namin best namin. Magpe-prepaare kami nang maayos para sa upcoming games,” he said.
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.