How will this batch of Gilas Pilipinas Youth stars fare in the 2025 FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup?
Gilas Pilipinas Youth is out to face the region’s finest in the 2025 FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup from August 31 to September 5 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Gilas Youth headlines the trio of Southeast Asian representatives in this year’s Asia Cup, which also features Indonesia and Malaysia, following their dominant run at the SEABA qualifiers in Pampanga last May 24 to 30.
Headlining the 15-team field in Ulaanbatar is an Australian core looking to complete their three-peat bid, along with a China youth squad hoping to win their first gold medal, completing a hat trick from 2009 to 2013.
How has Gilas fared in the past?
Twenty-twenty-five will mark the Philippines’ eighth-straight appearance in the Under-16 Asia Cup, with previous youth national team cores qualifying for the regional tilt since its first staging in 2009.
Gilas Youth currently has a total of five Final Four appearances in the Under-16 Asia Cup, including a runner-up finish to China in 2013 under the leadership of head coach Jamike Jarin, and current PBA players Matt Nieto, Jolo Mendoza, and Richard Escoto.
Given this, the question now is whether or not this batch of Gilas Youth stalwarts can add another semifinals appearance once it’s all said and done in Ulaanbatar.
What’s at stake?
More than the medals or podium finishes, the FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup also serves as a qualifier for the FIBA Under-17 World Cup, with spots being automatically awarded to the top four finishers.
Gilas Youth will start their campaign in Group D of this year’s Under-16 Asia Cup, where they are bunched with the returning Chinese Taipei, their SEABA finals foes Indonesia, and a New Zealand program that copped silver during the 2023 staging in Doha, Qatar. It goes without saying that the Junior Tall Blacks will be the biggest adversary for Gilas to conquer here.
Top-seeded teams of each pool will gain an outright quarterfinal berth, while second and third-seeded teams will play in a qualification match for a last-chance ticket to the quarterfinals. If all goes well, then Gilas Youth should at least ace their quarterfinals assignment if they hope to secure a ticket for the Under-17 World Cup next year in Turkey.
Who’s in and who’s out?
As of writing, final rosters have yet to be revealed for this year’s Under-16 Asia Cup. But more likely than not, we’re bound to see the same core led by SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player Gab delos Reyes, Prince Cariño, Travis Pascual, Jhustin Hallare, and Andwele Cabañero.
Gilas Youth opens their FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup campaign this August 31 against Chinese Taipei, before turning their attention to Indonesia on September 1, and the powerhouse New Zealand on September 2.
Images from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas on Facebook.