IT’S an end of an era in Gilas Pilipinas.
Japeth Aguilar, the last standing player in the original Smart Gilas Pilipinas, was presented with a framed blue-colored no. 25 jersey of the national team on Monday night just before the Philippines-Guam rematch in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers at the Blue Eagle gym.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Ricky Vargas and Executive Director Erika Dy handed out the framed jersey to Aguilar at center court and was later joined by his wife Cassandra and their two children.
The 38-year-old Aguilar received a resounding ovation when acknowledged as ‘one of the OGs of Gilas Pilipinas.’
The event incidentally, also served as homecoming for the 6-foot-9 Aguilar who spent his first two seasons in college playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Aguilar earlier hinted that the first two games of the opening window of the qualifiers may serve as his swan song for the national team where he played for since 2009 as part of the original Smart Gilas Pilipinas team under former coach Rajko Toroman.
The entire Gilas team later had its photo taken with Aguilar just before the start of the game against Guam.
Coach Tim Cone then made the 6-foot-9 native of Pampanga a part of his starting unit along with Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson, and close friend June Mar Fajardo.
Gilas won the game, 95-71, as Aguilar finished with three points and a rebound to cap his final game as a national player.
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