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| Quentin Millora-Brown is now part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool. Joseph Sanvictores |
QUEZON CITY—Quentin Millora-Brown has been formally added to the Gilas Pilipinas pool as the national team is already making moves ahead of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers beginning next month.
This makes the Macau Black Bears' big man the 16th member of the Gilas pool, led by head coach Tim Cone.
Cone already floated the idea as early as last week, although the former UAAP and current TAT champion has a long road ahead in terms of embracing the renowned coach's triangle offense-based system.
"We have to try to mix in QMB into the lineup. He's a young guy, but doesn't know the system yet. Then we have to make sure that we have realistic expectations for him," Cone, also the concurrent Ginebra coach, said during the PBA Media Day at Eton Centris here.
Despite that, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio is already ecstatic about seeing the 6-foot-10 center showcase his inside presence for Gilas.
“We’re excited to have QMB in the pool,” said Panlilio in a statement on Wednesday night.
“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.”
Initially classified to be only considered as a naturalized player amid some questions regarding his Philippine passport, Millora-Brown, who claimed he had already acquired the passport as a kid, successfully launched an appeal, and FIBA reclassified him as a local.
This makes Millora-Brown available to be considered in the final 12-man Gilas lineup per game without the need to sacrifice Justin Brownlee.
Staying put for Gilas pool-wise are the 12 players who donned the blue-and-white during the FIBA Asia Cup, namely Brownlee, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Dwight Ramos, Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Quiambao, Justin Brownlee, Carl Tamayo, and AJ Edu.
Also returning to the national pool are Ange Kouame, RJ Abarrientos, and Kai Sotto, although Sotto's status for the upcoming Gilas games remains questionable since he is still recovering from an ACL injury last January.
"We'll have to see where Kai is in terms of availability," Cone further said, although Koshigaya, Sotto's Japan B.League team, is looking at a possibility of making the seven-foot-three giant available to play later this month as the new season commences.
Regarding the decision to bring in Millora Brown, Kouame, and Abarrientos back in the pool, Panlilio said, “Continuity is still the main priority of coach Tim Cone, but we saw it fit to add a couple of pieces to the training pool. 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.”
Gilas begins its bid for a fourth consecutive appearance in the FIBA World Cup with a home-and-home set against Guam, led by San Miguel wingman Jericho Cruz, on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1.
To make more room for Gilas' preparations, the PBA has decided to make the entire period of Nov. 17 to Dec. 4 as its designated FIBA window; that is, the league will not hold games on Nov. 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30, and Dec. 3.
