Brownlee leads Gilas Pilipinas’ 16-man pool for World Cup Asian Qualifiers

Sports

NATURALIZED player Justin Brownlee banners an expanded Gilas Pilipinas pool for the FIBA 2027 World Cup Asian Qualifiers that will start next month.

Brownlee is part of the 16-man pool released by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

“Obviously, Justin will still be the top choice in terms of having a naturalized player in the lineup but we need to take advantage of actually having multiple naturalized players,” SBP President Al Panlilio said in a statement.

Joining Brownlee in the pool are his 11 teammates who saw action in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia where Gilas wound up seventh.

Part of the pool are June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, CJ Perez, Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome.

Though still injured, 7-foot-3 center Kai South remains in the pool along with Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Carl Tamayo and Kevin Quiambao, and Jamie Malonzo.

New faces of the pool are RJ Abarrientos, naturalized player Ange Kouame and the newly re-classified local big man Quentin Millora-Brown.

“We’re excited to have QMB in the pool,” added Panlilio. “We got a close-up look at what he can do when he played for the Macau Black Bears and talking to coach Tim, he’s certain a guy like QMB can shine in the system that we have.”

The Nationals will open its Asian qualifiers campaign against Guam in a pair of home-and-away games in the November window.(CCM)