Juan Gomez de Liano had waited months for this call-up, and when it finally came, he made it count.
No hesitation nor missed opportunity.
After missing Window 1 of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, Gomez de Liano returned to national team duty with Gilas Pilipinas in Window 2 against New Zealand — and if head coach Tim Cone is to be believed, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Despite a narrow 66-69 loss to the Tall Blacks that prevented the Philippines from advancing to the second round on Thursday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, one silver lining emerged for Cone: the former University of the Philippines standout can become an integral part of the program.
Gomez de Liano joined an already deep Philippine backcourt, alongside Levanga Hokkaido’s Dwight Ramos, Barangay Ginebra duo Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos, and San Miguel’s CJ Perez.
“He was maybe one of the best, if not the best, players during our training camp that we had in preparation for this. We’re not surprised with what he came out and did for us. He’s gonna be a mainstay on this team,” Cone said of Gomez de Liano, who last suited up for Gilas during Window 1 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.
The 26-year-old Converge guard wasted little time making his presence felt against New Zealand, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting, two assists, and one rebound in just 14 minutes and 51 seconds of action.
Considering the pressure that came with returning to Gilas — with a chance to advance to the second round of the qualifiers on the line during a rare home stand — Cone felt unsurprised by Gomez de Liano’s performance. He’s confident that the guard would grow even more comfortable with the system over time.
“Remember that this was his first game in front of a big crowd with a lot of pressure. He’s gonna get more comfortable, and he’s gonna go a lot more than he just did today,” Cone shared.
“He did a lot today, but he’s gonna do a lot more going forward. He’s a special talent.”
Gomez de Liano’s good pal Ramos echoed Cone’s sentiment, believing his potential with Gilas is limitless — especially with a stern test against World No. 6 Australia on Sunday at the same bayside Pasay venue.
“He played great. He stepped up. It’s his first game in a long time, so for sure, there’s a little bit of nerves there,” Ramos told reporters.
“First game after a long time, he can’t ask for more and he’s just gonna be better.”
