RJ Abarrientos' familiarity with the triangle offense and Quentin Millora-Brown's rebounding ability were their respective passports to the Gilas Pilipinas roster for the opening window against Guam in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Abarrientos and Millora-Brown are the only two new players to make Gilas' Final 12 for Friday's away tie at the University of Guam Calvo Field House.
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It's also the first time the two are playing for Tim Cone with the national team, though Abarrientos had a stint with Gilas Pilipinas before under coach Chot Reyes during the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.
In as much as those who were cut including Juan Gomez De Liano, Jamie Malonzo, and Troy Rosario were just as deserving, Cone said Abarrientos and Millora-Brown are expected to fill the void needed by the national team at least for this window.
"These guys will be going to help us and to really enhance important positions - the back up five and the power forward position and the point guard position," said Cone of his two new players.
Cone said Abarrientos earned the spot as the third option at guard behind Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome.
"The two (RJ and Juan GDL) of them both played extremely well, but RJ knows the system a little bit more, and he was with us the last window in terms of the whole practice," said Cone.
"So he was a little bit ahead in terms of knowledge. So we pick RJ."
And QMB? Cone was totally blown away .
"I'm just amazed by Q with how he picked things up and how smart he's been. Not just play with the ability and size, but plays with a lot of intelligence, and that's what really impressed us," said the Gilas coach.
Cone also took notice of the Fil-Am's rebounding abilities.
"He just plays with that kind of effort and he has a nose for the ball. He's big and he's athletic. He can surprise you with some of the things he does," said Cone of the big man out of University of the Philippines.
"We're just amazed by Q with how he picked things up and how smart he's been. Not just play with the ability and size, but plays with a lot intelligence, and that's what really impressed us.'
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