Justin Brownlee, Kai Sotto lead Gilas Final 12 vs New Zealand

Gilas Pilipinas’ Kai Sotto, Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson lead the Final 12 for the Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers second window against New Zealand. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Justin Brownlee leads Gilas Pilipinas’ Final 12 line-up that will compete against New Zealand for the second window of the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers on Thursday.

Headlining the 12-man lineup is Brownlee, longtime Ginebra import and naturalized forward coach, whom Tim Cone described as “highly motivated” en route to the Asia Cup qualifiers following a loss in the recently concluded PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at the hands of TNT.

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Japan B.League big man Kai Sotto, who was under concussion protocol a few days back, is also on the final roster against the Kiwis.

The three names dashed out of the original 15-man pool were Jamie Malonzo and AJ Edu, who are nursing injuries, and Ange Kouame, who is a reserve for Brownlee.

The Gilas Pilipinas Final 12 vs New Zealand. –MARLO CUETO

Young guns Carl Tamayo, Kevin Quiambao and Mason Amos were included in the final list, bringing youth into Cone’s lineup.

Ginebra swingmen Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar and TNT standout Calvin Oftana will also don the Red, White and Blue after going on a six-game collision course in the PBA Finals with Oftana and the Tropang Giga coming out on top.

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The PBA Philippine Cup rivals in San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez and Meralco’s Chris Newsome also made the cut along with Levanga Hokkaido’s Filipino-import Dwight Ramos, who’s expected to back up primary guard Thompson’s duty in the backcourt.

The same Final 12 will likely be utilized against Hong Kong on November 24.

Gilas begins its second window run of the ACQ on Thursday at Mall of Asia Arena against the Tall Blacks at 7:30 pm.