By REYNALD MAGALLON
Gilas Pilipinas has added young big man Mason Amos and veteran Japeth Aguilar as part of the national team reserves in an effort to address possible manpower woes in the future.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas made the announcement on Monday, April 1 with head coach Tim Cone sharing the news.
“We’re excited that Mason [Amos] and Japeth [Aguilar] agreed to be our alternates on Gilas,” said Cone.
Although Cone named a fixed 12-man lineup for his four-year Gilas program, the veteran mentor acknowledged the need for his team to be flexible enough to adjust especially when the crew is hit with injuries.
“The first window showed us that we were a little thin in our lineup after AJ Edu, June Mar [Fajardo] and Jamie [Malonzo] missed our game vs. Chinese Taipei due to injuries, and we were left with only nine players and only Japeth as a replacement to make 10.”
The addition of Aguilar gives Cone a veteran who is very much familiar with the system of Cone and could help in easing the transfer of the knowledge.
More than that, the Ginebra forward, a three-time World Cup participant, could share his vast international experience to the young and up-and-coming Gilas big men in Kai Sotto and AJ Edu.
Mason, on the other hand, is a 20-year-old 6-foot-7 prospect who Cone sees as a potential cornerstone for future Gilas teams.
The Ateneo forward already showed a glimpse of what he can provide – size and outside shooting – for the national team when he played for Gilas during the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers under former head coach Tim Cone.
Amos and Aguilar are expected to join the team and practice and fight for their own spots in the roster even for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia in July.
“So now, Japeth and Mason will practice and travel with the original 12 and be ready to step in if the need arises. If we lose one of our bigs, Japeth will step in. If any of the others, Mason will fill the hole. Mason, too, because of his youth, projects as one of the regulars over me.”
The addition of the two big men is the latest move of the federation to strengthen the national team program after also announcing the start of the efforts to naturalize Bennie Boatwright and possibly add him to the naturalized player pool.
