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The SEA Games are scheduled in Thailand on Dec. 9-20 with 574 gold medals at stake in 50 sports and the defending men’s 5x5 basketball champion is the Philippines. Indonesia is the defending women’s 5x5 basketball titlist while Cambodia is the defending men’s 3x3 ruler and Vietnam, the defending women’s 3x3 queen. The Philippines was second in women’s 5x5, men’s 3x3 and women’s 3x3, finishing a whiff away from sweeping the four basketball events in the previous edition in Cambodia in 2023.
Eligibility rules in the SEA Games are different from FIBA’s. SEA Games organizers allow athletes to represent a country for as long as valid passports are shown, regardless of when they were issued. In 2023, host Cambodia capitalized on the laxity of the rules by suiting up five naturalized players from the US – Darius Henderson, Dwayne Morgan, Brandon Peterson, Sayeed Pridgett and Oscar Lopez. Cambodia beat the Philippines, 79-58, in the elims but lost to Gilas, 80-69, in the final. In men’s 3x3, Cambodia took the gold with Dorsey, Peterson and Pridgett in the lineup.
The Philippines’ men’s 5x5 roster was made up of Justin Brownlee, Mason Amos, Marcio Lassiter, Jerom Lastimosa, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, Michael Philips, Chris Ross, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Christian Standhardinger and Arvin Tolentino.
There is word that in the coming SEA Games, organizers will allow only two naturalized players with no blood heritage per country. But it remains to be seen if this will be implemented. Cambodia will be the first to protest if the proposed rule is applied.
The SEA Games basketball gold in the men’s 5x5 event is precious to the Philippines, the champion in 19 of 22 competitions. When Indonesia dethroned the Philippines in 2022 in Hanoi, Gilas coach Chot Reyes was severely bashed by fans and it took a redeeming gold medal in Cambodia to silence the critics. In the coming SEA Games, SBP faces a dilemma because unlike in FIBA tournaments, domestic leagues aren’t required to call a ceasefire for players to represent their countries. The PBA has made no plans to take a break during the next SEA Games, leaving the core of Gilas’ squad unavailable. It’s the same thing with the Japanese B-League and Korean Basketball League where Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto (if recovered from injury), AJ Edu, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo play. UAAP and NCAA will be in season so their players will also be tied up.
Where will SBP source players for the national team in the SEA Games? MPBL? UAAP and NCAA junior ranks? There is a strong possibility that with PBA and overseas players unavailable, the Philippine team will find it rough sailing in Thailand. Retaining the gold is at risk.
