The Gilas Pilipinas men’s team is facing an undeniable crisis ahead of the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok. Due to a confluence of eligibility rulings, scheduling conflicts, and perplexing roster omissions, Coach Norman Black is left scrambling for players barely two weeks before the biennial meet.
The numbers are staggering: a total of nine players—more than half of the original roster—will not be playing. This includes naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, as well as previously confirmed players Mike Phillips, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, and Remy Martin (all declared ineligible by the host country for being foreign-born). Adding to the chaos, Geo Chiu, Jason Brickman, and Dave Ildefonso begged off to pursue the MPBL championship with the Abra Solid North Weavers.
While the SEA Games Organizing Committee and the MPBL schedule are legitimate external issues, the continued oversight of two proven PBA stars represents a fundamental failure in contingency planning and talent recognition by the national program.
❌ The Case of Terrence Romeo: A Free Agent Ignored
It is simply not acceptable that three-time PBA champion and former Finals MVP Terrence Romeo is not even being considered for a Gilas pool spot, especially given his current professional status.
The search results confirm that Romeo's contract with Terrafirma expired in August, and he is currently a free agent, even exploring options overseas before recently joining a $3\times 3$ team. This means he is not tied to a PBA team's schedule and could commit full-time to the national team.
The Logic: Romeo is one of the most dynamic, clutch, and proven shot-creators the country has ever produced. In a scenario where Gilas has lost Brickman (a playmaker) and several scorers, Romeo’s unparalleled ability to create his own shot and break down defenses is exactly what a short-handed team needs.
The Inexplicable Omission: While Romeo has had previous stints with Gilas cut short by injuries or controversial rulings (like the 2023 Asian Games technicality), his status as a free agent eliminates the standard excuses of PBA commitment or team reluctance. His omission suggests a baffling lack of urgency in securing the best available talent during a national crisis.
🐐 The Case of Calvin Abueva: The Beast Unleashed
The exclusion of Calvin "The Beast" Abueva from the pool is equally bewildering, particularly given his current form.
Amazing Performance: Abueva is currently having an MVP-caliber season in the PBA Philippine Cup for the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, averaging
2 $22.1$ points and3 $10.9$ rebounds per game (Source: Asia-Basket).4 This demonstrates that, at $37$, he is still operating at an elite, physical level—a skillset perfect for the rough-and-tumble SEA Games.The Need for Toughness: Abueva’s signature grit, rebounding, and defensive intensity would immediately fill the void left by Ganuelas-Rosser and Phillips, giving Coach Black the necessary muscle and heart to dominate the paint.
Ignoring the Obvious: To leave a player who is a Top 3 scorer and Top 2 rebounder in the country’s premier league out of the national team pool during an emergency is a glaring oversight that undermines the "best of the best" principle of the national program.
The current Gilas SEA Games debacle is a failure on multiple fronts: the inability to secure eligibility for key players, the scheduling conflict with the MPBL, and most critically, the apparent lack of flexibility and urgency in including proven, available PBA stars like Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva.
Related Article: Gilas Controversy: RJ Abarrientos over Juan Gomez de Liano, really?
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