SBP reveals Gilas Pilipinas national team pools for SEA Games

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has submitted its 28-man national pool to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) ahead of their upcoming campaign in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games basketball tournaments in Cambodia this May.

Leading the Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball pool are PBA MVPs June Mar Fajardo and Scottie Thompson as well as naturalized player Justin Brownlee.

Also on the SBP’s list are PBA players Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Alas, Raymond Almazan, Aaron Black, Poy Erram, Jeremiah Gray, Marcio Lassiter, Jamie Malonzo, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, RR Pogoy, Stanley Pringle, Chris Ross, Brandon Rosser, Christian Standhardinger, Arvin Tolentino, and Mikey Williams.

Also on the list are Mason Amos, AJ Edu, Jerom Lastimosa, brothers Ben and Mike Phillips, Kevin Quiambao, and Schonny Winston.

In the previous edition of the SEA Games, the country failed to secure the gold medal in the men’s basketball tournament for the first time since 1989. Only two members of that team – Fajardo and Pogoy – are in the pool for this edition.

“That moment is upon us, and we’re not leaving any stone unturned in our overall bid to regain basketball glory in our region,” SBP president Al Panlilio said.

“What we’ve gone through after that fateful day in Hanoi, both the wins and the losses in the various tournaments that followed, are, in effect, geared also toward bringing the SEA Games gold medal back to our shores.”

The Gilas Women national team, meanwhile, has also submitted its pool, with the squad seeking a third consecutive gold medal in the SEA Games.

The women’s basketball pool is composed of Jack Animam, Stefanie Berberabe, Afril Bernardino, Kate Bobadilla, Chak Cabinbin, Mikka Cacho, Khate Castillo, Clare Castro, Kristine Cayabyab, Camille Clarin, Monique Del Carmen, Kacey Dela Rosa, Ella Fajardo, Aurea Gingras, Katrina Guytingco, Mai Loni Henson, Jhazmin Joson, Kennan Ka, Louna Ozar, Ann Pingol, Janine Pontejos, Sofia Roman, Angel Surada, Andrea Tongco, and Kristan Yumul.

Pools for the 3x3 men’s and women’s tournaments have also been revealed.

Naturalized player Ange Kouame leads the men’s pool alongside veteran Almond Vosotros. Also in the list are Brandon Bates, Alfred Batino, Samboy De Leon, Joseph Eriobu, Lervin Flores, Jeffrey Manday, Jorey Napoles, and Joseph Sedurifa

The women’s pool, which will look to return to the podium after missing out in the previous edition, will be composed of members of the 5-on-5 pool in Animam, Bernardino, Castillo, Castro, Cayabyab, Dela Rosa, Henson, and Pontejos.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News