Mike Phillips is back for Gilas, this time in a pair of FIBA-sanctioned games. MPBL (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Mike Phillips will finally see action for Gilas Pilipinas in a FIBA-sanctioned game as the national team called him up for the roster that will see action in the third window of the World Cup Qualifiers.

The San Juan Knight will be a major boost inside the paint for Gilas, all the more so that Kai Sotto and Quentin Millora-Brown begged off for the window.

This will be the six-foot-eight power forward's first Gilas appearance since being part of the 2023 team that won the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games, which has not been a FIBA-sanctioned event.

Phillips, the 2025 UAAP men's basketball finals MVP, was cleared to play for Gilas as a local, prompting coach Tim Cone to add him to the pool.

Also expected to shore up the interior is Balti Baltazar, who will be the lone representative of Converge as Juan Gomez De Liaño and Justin Arana did not make the Final 12 cut.

RJ Abarrientos, the newly-crowned PBA Commissioner's Cup Best Player of the Conference, and Justin Brownlee, the Best Import of the Conference, are donning Gilas blue once more after leading Ginebra to the conference title along with Scottie Thompson, the Finals MVP, and Troy Rosario.

Completing the Final 12 are AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo, Chris Newsome, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, and Carl Tamayo.

Cone said that Gilas already convened on Wednesday while he was busy preparing for Game 7 of the championship series between the Gin Kings and TNT Tropang 5G.

"Only half of the team showed up, but they're meeting with (assistant coaches) LA (Tenorio), Sean (Chambers), and Jong Uichico," Cone said, adding that Gilas had to begin practicing quickly since it was the offseason already for those who were present.

Gilas will first travel to Auckland to face New Zealand on July 3 before heading to Perth to face Australia on July 6.

However, Cone said that the Filipinos plan to go to Oceania as early as Tuesday to quickly get acclimatized to the cold winter weather down south.