The Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men’s squad wrapped up a stellar performance in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, claiming a ticket to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup following an impressive run in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League Asia 2.
Going up against Under-21 squads from Japan, New Zealand, Belarus, Singapore, and Malaysia, the Philippine squad made it to five out of six stop finals and secured three stop titles to finish atop the standings.
Gilas kicked off the tournament with back-to-back wins before falling short against Belarus in the Stop 1 final. Following a podium-less Stop 2, the team rebounded by taking down Japan to win Stop 3. They then solidified their dominance by sinking game-winning two-pointers against New Zealand and Japan to sweep Stops 4 and 5.
The Philippines compiled 520 overall points—50 points ahead of runner-up Japan—to seal its World Cup berth and mark another major milestone for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) 3×3 initiative.
SBP Executive Director Erika Dy pointed out that the milestone highlights the federation’s steady dedication to 3×3 basketball and the collaborative effort among local hoops stakeholders.
“Earlier this year, our Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Women ended an eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. Now Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men will also end their own eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup,” said Dy. “This achievement is further proof that Filipinos are world-class not just in basketball but also in 3×3. With the support of our sponsors and the commitment of stakeholders, the SBP will continue to put our athletes in positions to succeed.”
This marks the country’s first appearance since the 2018 tournament, where a roster featuring RJ Abarrientos, Ricci Rivero, Rhayyan Amsali, and Jeepy Faundo posted a 2-2 pool stage record to end up 9th out of 20 nations.
Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Program Director Ryan Gregorio acknowledged the crucial backing of member schools and officials in making the campaign possible.
”On behalf of the SBP 3×3 program, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the schools, coaches, and team officials who supported Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 by allowing their players to represent the country,” added Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Program Director Ryan Gregorio.
“We are especially thankful to FEU Athletic Director Mark Molina and Coach Sean Chambers, who deliberately rescheduled their team’s USA training so that Cabs Cabonilas and Jedric Daa could compete in this tournament. Our sincere appreciation also goes to Boss Alfrancis Chua and Coach Pido Jarencio for generously loaning UST big man Koji Buenaflor, to Adamson head coach Nash Racela for immediately allowing Earl Medina to join the national team, and to team manager Jude Roque and Coach Yuri Escueta for permitting Jhun Dela Rama to represent Gilas even while he is in residency. Their trust, cooperation, and shared commitment to Philippine basketball embody the spirit of ‘one team, one country.’ We truly appreciate their invaluable support.”
With their berth locked in, Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men will shift focus to competing on the global stage in Wuhan, China, from September 15 to 19.