JUSTIN Brownlee, Ange Kouame, Remy Martin, Ray Parks, Matthew Wright, Dave Ildefonso, Jason Brickman, and Veejay Pre have committed to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Gilas' SEA Games coach Norman Black confirmed the commitment of the eight players although he admitted that Parks and Wright are still in the process of obtaining a release from their mother ballclubs in the Japan B.League.
READ SEA Games eligibility rules change clears way for loaded Gilas lineup
Ildefonso and Brickman, meanwhile, are also under contract with Abra in the MPBL, whose season will end in December.
Martin is also playing overseas and saw action most recently in Iceland.
Four slots are still open for the SEA Games and Black hopes to get a couple of bigs, possibly from the UAAP, to complete the 12-man team that will defend the SEA Games gold medal come December in Thailand.
Four spots left
“We still have four slots left. We are hoping to be able to add big men because you can see that we lack bigs,” said Black at the sidelines of the PBA Draft Combine where he is in attendance in his capacity as Meralco consultant.
The December 8 -20 coincides with the Japan B.League season. Parks and Wright are currently playing for Osaka Evessa and Kawasaki Brave Thunders respectively, and need a release since the the SEA Games doesn't fall in a FIBA window.
Gilas can play naturalized players Brown and Kouame at the same time and has a wider pool of Fil-foreign players to select from after SEA Games organizers adopted the 'passports-olny' eligibility rule for basketball.
“In the case of Kouame and Brownlee, they are with the national team already. I have not actually asked Rayray if he has gotten his release from his team. He just said that he would be able to accomplish that.
"Same with Matt Wright. Remy Martin, I know his season is over, it’s getting ready to begin again. I’m sure he will talk to his team,” said Black.
Referring to Ildefonso and Brickman, Black added: “We also have to get them released also Hopefully, the MPBL will help us.”
With the SEA Games not played in a FIBA international window, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas was forced to form a different team from the Gilas pool formed by Tim Cone since most of its players except for Brownlee are unavailable.
Cone has also opted not to coach the Philippine team at the SEA Games with the PBA season in full swing, prompting the SBP to appoint Black in his place.
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