Juan Gomez De Liano is set for a return to the national stage as Gilas Pilipinas prepares for the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, earning a spot in the final 12-man roster against New Zealand. It marks his first Gilas appearance under head coach Tim Cone and a long-awaited comeback after narrowly missing out on the opening window last year.
Now a rookie with Converge, Gomez De Liano was part of Cone’s compact training pool in the first window but did not make the final cut. This time, the former University of the Philippines standout gets his opportunity, returning to national duty for the first time since suiting up in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
He joins a veteran-heavy lineup anchored by June Mar Fajardo and Justin Brownlee, alongside AJ Edu, Quentin Millora-Brown, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, Carl Tamayo, and Scottie Thompson.
The mix reflects Cone’s continued emphasis on balance between experience, versatility, and defensive stability as Gilas navigates a crucial stretch in the qualifiers.
Left out of the final roster for the New Zealand game were Justine Baltazar, RJ Abarrientos, and Troy Rosario, though all three remain part of the expanded pool. Any of them could still be activated for Gilas’ second assignment in the window against Australia on Sunday, also set at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Gilas Pilipinas enters the matchup unbeaten in Group A, sharing identical 2–0 records with Australia. They face the visiting New Zealand Tall Blacks, who are still searching for their first win at 0–2. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena, with Gilas aiming to stay perfect and tighten its grip on qualification momentum.
