Japeth Aguilar’s Gilas return puts him in mentor’s role

Gilas Pilipinas’ Japeth Aguilar. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Japeth Aguilar no longer expected to be a part of Gilas Pilipinas’ long-haul cast that will try to return to the next International Basketball Federation (Fiba) World Cup and also crack the Summer Olympic Games.

In fact, the many-time skipper was surprised to see his name on the bulletin released by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas earlier this week.

But as soon as he realized how vital his role is, he was all in.

READ: Gilas taps Japeth Aguilar, Mason Amos as reserves

“I actually didn’t know,” he recalled telling his wife of the announcement in a candid chat with the Inquirer. “But when I saw that I’ll be more in the background, I figured I don’t mind helping out.”

“I know the priority is the young guys, and I see that coach Tim wants them to be ready early on,” he added.

Aguilar was named as a reserve for the national team, extending his supposedly one-off stint in the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers last February that was meant to be a stop-gap measure while AJ Edu and June Mar Fajardo coped with their respective injuries.

READ: Japeth Aguilar’s presence looms large for Gilas with key bigs out

The Ginebra forward, who served as the skipper for the World Cup squad last year, joins Ateneo center Mason Amos as an “alternate,” in what the SBP framed as a contingency measure for potential manpower woes.

“I’m glad to see him back,” Fajardo said in a separate interview with reporters on Friday.

“He’s probably gonna be my roommate again,” the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player said with a wide grin. “Even if he’s 40, I think he’d still be capable as he’s athletic.”

Aguilar is actually just 37, but he will be the oldest in the squad that features young big men in the 24-year-old Edu, 23-year-olds Carl Tamayo and Kevin Quiambao, and Kai Sotto, who is going to turn 22 next month.

But his wealth of experience—having played in three World Cups and being one of the Gilas program’s pioneers—should be integral in the development of those players.

A man of few words and usually reserved off-the-court, Aguilar admits that fulfilling the role of a vocal leader during the last World Cup was outside of his comfort zone. But he has since understood that he has to do what the veterans did for him when he was still starting out with the program.

“It’s been a learning experience for me, honestly speaking,” he said. “But I’m very excited for these young guys. They’re very talented. And hopefully they can all catch on with the things we do [in Gilas].”