In a bid to fortify their roster and avoid potential manpower shortages, Gilas Men head coach and program director Tim Cone has made a move by enlisting the services of seasoned veteran Japeth Aguilar and promising young stalwart Mason Amos for the pool.
Cone expressed his satisfaction with the inclusion of Aguilar and Amos.
“We’re excited that Mason [Amos] and Japeth [Aguilar] agreed to be our alternates on Gilas,” said Cone.
“The first window showed us that we were a little thin in our lineup after AJ Edu, June Mar [Fajardo], and Jamie [Malonzo] missed our game vs. Chinese Taipei due to injuries, and we were left with only nine players and only Japeth as a replacement to make 10.”
Acknowledging the critical role that both Aguilar and Amos will play, Cone outlined their responsibilities within the team.
“So now, Japeth and Mason will practice and travel with the original 12 and be ready to step in if the need arises. If we lose one of our bigs, Japeth will step in. If any of the others, Mason will fill the hole. Mason, too, because of his youth, projects as one of the regulars over time.”
Aguilar was a key contributor to the gold medal-winning Philippine team in the 19th Asian Games. Meanwhile, Amos is an emerging sophomore from Ateneo and former Gilas U18 stalwart.
The two are expected to bolster the long-term Gilas program pool and provide backup for the official 12-man team assembled by Cone specifically for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Europe in early July.
The current Gilas roster, featuring the likes of Kai Sotto, June Mar Fajardo, and Justin Brownlee, alongside talents like Scottie Thompson and Dwight Ramos, aims to secure a coveted spot in the Paris Olympic Games.
Bracketed in Group A, the Philippines will face tough challenges against world No. 6 Latvia and No. 23 Georgia in Riga on July 3 and 4 respectively.
Cone’s squad is determined to emerge victorious and secure their ticket to the Summer Games, scheduled to run from July 26 to August 11 in Paris.
