SMB, Ginebra, TNT Players Could Suit Up For Gilas This November?

by Raymund Tamayo

San Miguel's June Mar Fajardo. Photo credit: brigadanews.ph

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced on Thursday it is looking to get players from PBA teams San Miguel Beer, TNT Tropang Giga, and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the November window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asia qualifiers.

Some of the top players the federation is reportedly eyeing are league MVPs June Mar Fajardo (SMB) and Scottie Thompson (BGSM). 

Six-time PBA MVP Fajardo had recently led the Beermen to a 4-3 Philippine Cup championship win over TNT, bagging his fourth PBA Finals MVP in the process. He was supposed to join Gilas during the August window, but was not able to join the nationals because of the PBA Finals schedule. 

LOOK | Here's Gilas Pilipinas' initial pool for the fifth window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.

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The 6-foot-10 center, who had been representing the country in international competition since 2013, played in the FIBA World Cup twice before. The first one was in 2014 in Spain while his latest tour of duty was in 2019 in China.

Meanwhile, Thompson, the reigning PBA MVP, was part of the Gilas team that played in the August window, alongside BGSM teammate Japeth Aguilar. They played with NBA  star Jordan Clarkson and rising star Kai Sotto in two games, a close 85-81 loss to Lebanon in Beirut and an 84-46 drubbing of Saudi Arabia at home at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Barangay Ginebra's Scottie Thompson. Photo credit: fastbreak.com.ph

Other players the SBP is said to be looking at are BGSM's Aguilar and Arvin Tolentino, TNT's Poy Erram and Roger Pogoy, and SMB's CJ Perez. Erram and Pogoy played with Thompson and Aguilar during the August window.