Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 men book Fiba U23 World Cup ticket
Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 men’s team. –FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines— The Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 men’s team punched its ticket to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup after a dominant showing in the 3×3 Nations League Asia 2 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Erika Dy said the country’s latest achievement on the 3×3 stage is proof that the new generation of Filipino hoopers is “world-class.”
“Earlier this year, our Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Women ended an eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. Now Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men will also end their own eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup,” said Dy.
“This achievement is further proof that Filipinos are world-class not just in basketball but also in 3×3. With the support of our sponsors and the commitment of stakeholders, the SBP will continue to put our athletes in positions to succeed.”
The squad of Cabs Cabonillas, Jedric Daa, Koji Buenaflor, Earl Medina and Jhuniel Dela Rama made noise in Stop 3 with a victory over Japan.
They strengthened their bid for a World Cup berth by beating powerhouses New Zealand and Japan in Stops 4 and 5, respectively.
In the end, Gilas amassed 520 points in the tournament, enough for a podium finish in the Nations League and ultimately, a berth in the World Cup in September.
The last time Gilas reached the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup was in 2018, when the squad was composed of now-PBA players RJ Abarrientos and Ricci Rivero, along with Rhayyan Amsali and Jeepy Faundo. The team finished with a 2-2 record in the pool stage to place ninth overall among 20 teams.
