CHICAGO - Eager to once again fly the Philippine flag, Juan Gomez De Liano attacked the Gilas Pilipinas training camp like a man on a mission.
In a week's worth of work with the 15-man pool, he adapted to coach Tim Cone's triangle offense like a reptile at a rainforest.
Juan GDL's past experiences in Japan, Lithuania and Korea didn't just show, it impressed teammates and coaches.
Scottie Thompson called him a "great fit" who will alleviate some of the burden for Gilas' guards while Dwight Ramos referred to the 6-foot, 163-pound combo guard as a "prime James Harden."
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But when it was time to make the final 12-man roster for the Fiba World Cup qualifiers, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 PBA Rookie Draft was cut alongside current and former Ginebra players Troy Rosario and Jamie Malonzo.
"I was surprised," the 26-year old Juan GDL told me in a telephone interview on Tuesday night. He said he heard the news in a meeting with Cone and Richard Del Rosario prior to yesterday's send-off press conference.
NO HARD FEELINGS.
But the gracious former UP Fighting Maroon wields neither regret nor rancor.
"I respect the decision," he said. "And I look forward to returning to the pool moving forward."
I respect the decision, too, but I also feel Gilas missed out on something by easing out a versatile playmaker who is killing it in the PBA by averaging 17 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game with the FiberXers.
With already a pair of proven and reliable bigs in EJ Edu and Quentin Millora-Brown, why not cut Japeth Aguilar instead?
By Cone's own admission during a previous interview with Noli Eala, the 38-year old Aguilar had already sent feelers of retiring from Gilas. I don't think the star from Cebu will mind not making the hectic trip to Guam and back for a pair of very easy games.
Rosario being cut was no surprise. While he can shoot the 3 and light up the perimeter, he'd also have to defend tall and nimble guys in his position. And I don't think that would end well.
Despite Cone's assertions that Malonzo "had something to prove," the forward's non-inclusion was as predictable as death and taxes. Lathered in inconsistency during his final conference with Ginebra this year, Malonzo didn't show much during the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia, either.
And lest we forget, Malonzo left the Gin Kings last July to sign with Kyoto Hannaryz of the Japan B.League, a union that evaporated after a mere five games.
You don't walk away from Ginebra and waltz back into that power circle as though everything's cool. Just look at what's happening with Greg Slaughter.
There are no wrong decisions on who to chop cutting a 15-man pool. Here's hoping it turns out right.
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