CHICAGO --With the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers just nine days away, the Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas (SBP) released its 15-man pool on Monday.
The handpicked Gilas crew, depending on your interpretation, is made up of four guards (CJ Perez, Chris Newsome, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson) six wings (Mason Amos, Justin Brownlee, Jamie Malonzo, Calvin Oftana, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo) and five bigs (Japeth Aguilar, June Mar Fajado, Ange Kouame, EJ Edu, Kai Sotto).
READ AJ Edu again doubtful for Gilas home qualifiers due to injury
It's a good pool. It can, however, still get better.
This group needs more depth in size and I say that not to disparage anyone but only to remind the SBP that this present crop of bigs need a robust, reliable safety net.
Why?
GUARDRAILS AGAINST THE UNEXPECTED.
Well, Aguilar is 37 years old while Fajardo turns 35 next week, Edu and Kouame are 24 and 26, respectively, but both have a history of ACL tears which required prolonged absences.
Kai has always been a willing Gilas soldier, but he, too, had some streaks of unavailability which include a back strain that limited him in the 2023 NBA Summer League. And adding to my point, Sotto recently sprained an ankle and is currently under concussion protocol after his most recent B.League game.
We always hope for the best health of our national team players but the unpredictable nature of sports also demands preparing for the worst.
Having followed the UAAP Season 87 closely since September, I have observed a young man who can be a forceful contributor for Gilas in the middle.
His name is Quentin Millora-Brown, a strapping 6-foot-10, ,245-pound center who is averaging a healthy 8.09 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for the 9-3 UP Fighting Maroons.
SEAL OF APPROVAL
Outside of the rabid UP fan base, I'm not the only one impressed with QMB.
"He's had a good introduction to Philippine basketball with a good UAAP season and we are always on the lookout for quality big men and he definitely fits that description. Good size, good work ethic on the court, good hands and a nice touch around the basket. Lots of positives," Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin said.
"He's good. He will be an asset to our Gilas program because he is young and readily available," La Salle coach Topex Robinson chimed in.
Besides the ability to score, rebound and protect the rim, QMB is a peerless, fearless perimeter defender who took 23 charges during his senior year at Citadel.
All told, his US NCAA collegiate career, which included three years at Vanderbilt where he took up engineering, raked several honors that included being named in the 2024 SoCon All-Defensive Team
Most importantly, QMB is smart, and consistently made the Honor Roll. He will have no problem learning and adapting to the complexities of the triangle offense that Gilas coach Tim Cone runs.
Indeed, what a potential gem QMB will be for Gilas.
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