After a forgettable stint in Qatar, Gilas Pilipinas faced a revamped Chinese Taipei squad and suffered their first loss to them since 2013, falling 91-84.
Chinese Taipei controlled the first half and, despite a Gilas fightback, maintained a 71-61 lead heading into the fourth. Justin Brownlee went into beast mode late, finishing with 39 points and a barrage of triples, but Gilas lived and died by his heroics. A costly turnover, a missed shot, and an inability to secure key rebounds sealed their fate, snapping their four-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, New Zealand made quick work of Hong Kong, with Duncan Reid and Eastern players Glen Yang and Shiu Wau Leung leading the charge.
Up next for Gilas?
A tough road game against New Zealand on February 23.
One glaring issue with Gilas’ current approach is their tight rotation. Tim Cone has always preferred a short bench, but this could be a problem—especially for Justin Brownlee. Even Scottie Thompson, as crucial as he is, might be getting overused. The bigger concern, though, is Kai Sotto’s injury woes. Without him, Gilas lacks size, forcing Cone to rely even more on a Ginebra-heavy core. That’s not just a problem for Brownlee and Thompson—it’s a challenge for Cone himself.
Justin Brownlee may be Gilas’ go-to scorer, but let’s not forget—he’s about to turn 37 years old. Then again, he’s not your typical almost 37-year-old. In 2024 alone, he’s suited up for Gilas while leading Ginebra to a runner-up finish in the Governors’ Cup. Now, he’s back as Ginebra’s import in the Commissioner’s Cup.
But this season is different. Unlike in past years, Tim Cone doesn’t have a dominant frontline, and he’s relied on his bench even less. He’s applied the Ginebra formula to Gilas, using two big men to anchor the paint so Brownlee can focus on scoring. It’s the same strategy he used when Ginebra had Brownlee alongside Japeth Aguilar and either Greg Slaughter or Christian Standhardinger.
Yes, Gilas managed to fill the gap left by Isaac Go by bringing in Troy Rosario, but he’s not the kind of centerpiece Cone is used to. And speaking of C-Stan, his exit from Ginebra was anything but smooth, once again putting Terrafirma under scrutiny for their "farm team" reputation.
PBA imports have expiration dates, and it feels like Justin Brownlee is only a couple of years away from retirement. His longtime Meralco rival, Allen Durham, just hung up his sneakers—and he’s actually a couple of months younger than Brownlee. While Brownlee has done an incredible job staying healthy, the wear and tear from playing for both Gilas and Ginebra is bound to catch up with him.
And honestly, the Doha Cup games didn’t do Gilas any favors. They probably committed to the tournament back when Kai Sotto was still part of the plan, but without him, they ended up exposing their flaws and making themselves easier to scout. Gilas has been a dominant force in Asia for a while now, but Tim Cone’s squad looked overwhelmed by Mohammad Gadiaga and Brandon Gilbeck. Maybe it’s time for Gilas to build a proper player pool?
Now, I’m not about to tell Tim Cone how to coach, but he’s been running his Ginebra core into the ground. There’s even talk that he reached out to RJ Abarrientos and Ralph Cu for reinforcements. This situation is starting to look a lot like when TNT formed the bulk of Gilas—and now, with only Calvin Oftana as their main Gilas contributor, TNT is thriving again.
If Cone is looking for additional resources, why not tap into the other Filipino players in Japan and Korea? Sure, Kiefer Ravena has that “Chot Reyes” connection, but he still put up solid numbers for Yokohama: 9.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and nearly 24 minutes per game in 36 starts. On the other hand, Matthew Wright averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 27 minutes per game for Kawasaki.
Gilas also has options within the PBA. The current Best Player of the Conference frontrunners—Arvin Tolentino, Robert Bolick, and Jordan Heading—have all suited up for Gilas at some point in their careers. There’s no reason they can’t step in again.
After the qualifiers and the Commissioner’s Cup, Justin Brownlee needs a break. Whatever he decides to do, he has to come back looking refreshed. The mileage on his body is piling up, and both Gilas and Ginebra need him at his best.
As for Tim Cone, as much as we all respect his coaching genius, Ginebra simply can’t juggle multiple tournaments while competing in the Philippine Cup and other international commitments. They need to manage their workload and, more importantly, stretch their bench—especially with the grueling grind of the Philippine Cup ahead.