A Deepdive into the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team
The Philippines men’s basketball team, nicknamed ‘Gilas Pilipinas’, has one of the most passionate followings across the globe and is among the most successful Asian basketball programmes: the side has claimed a FIBA Basketball World Cup bronze medal, a fifth–place finish at the Olympic Games and five FIBA Asia Cup golds.
This powerhouse of Southeast Asian basketball co-hosted the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, alongside Japan and Indonesia. Keen to discover more about the Philippines men’s basketball team? Well, the Courtside 1891 team have put together this in-depth guide. Read on to discover everything you need to know.
2024 Olympics - Men's Basketball
The Philippines men's basketball team are confirmed as one of the 24 nations that will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024, which you can stream live with Courtside 1891. The tournaments are currently scheduled for July 2-7 2024.
Las Gilas will be matched against Latvia and Georgia in the Latvia FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, putting them in front of a tough challenge if they want to get on a plane to Paris this summer.
How Did The Philippines Do At The FIBA World Cup 2023?
Here are the key stats from the Philippines' FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign:
- → Final Standing: 24th
- → Results: Played 5 Won 1 Lost 4
- → Top Points Scorer: Jordan Clarkson 130 PTS (26.0 PPG)
- → Top Assist Provider: Jordan Clarkson 26 AST (5.2 APG)
- → Most Efficient Player: Jordan Clarkson 19.2 EPG
The co-hosts were able to sign off with a win and finally send their incredible home fans happy against familiar foes, China. All the talk pre-tournament was about NBA star Jordan Clarkson and he scored 20+ points in every game, saving his best performance for last, with a 34-point haul against China. Watch his best buckets from that game, below.
Jordan Clarkson - Game MVP - Philippines v China
Team Presentation Video
Increase your knowledge about the Philippines and the successes of Gilas Pilipinas with the help of our Team Discovery Video.
Seven-time Olympians, Las Gilas have always been an Asian Powerhouse and will be looking to ensure they give Latvia a hard time in their OQT debut.
Team Presentation - Philippines - FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
Current Star Players
For this Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, Las Gilas will be without their star player Jordan Clarkson after team management opted for continuity.
This time around, veteran Justin Brownlee will make it to the roster: a naturalized journeyman out of St John, Brownlee secured two Best Import Awards with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Brownlee led Las Gilas in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
Joining Brownlee is 7 ft 3 center Kai Sotto. Born in the relatively small city of Las Piñas, Kai Sotto has been a Philippines prodigy since it was announced they would be a Basketball World Cup host nation back in December 2017. Now 22 years old, he is on the radar of NBA scouts and he even received a call-up to the Orlando Magic Summer League squad in the 2023 off-season.
After a low-key World Cup involvement, the Yokohama B-Corsairs big man will be looking to make an impact in the Latvia Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Legends of the Team
If you visit Manila or Quezon City and ask Filipino citizens about their favorite players, you’ll hear one name more than all others combined: Carlos ‘Caloy’ Loyzaga. A powerful center who could bend a game to his will, Loyzaga was one of the greatest big men of his generation.
Known as ‘The Big Difference’, Loyzaga helped the Philippines become one of the world’s most feared sides during the 1950s and 60s. As the team’s on-court leader, he was central to helping the side claim four consecutive Asian Games gold medals and two FIBA Asia Cups.
His finest moment undoubtedly came at the 1954 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he guided the side to a medal finish. His performances were rewarded with a spot in the All-Tournament Team. Today, he remains the only Filipino player to ever achieve this accolade.
After his playing career finished, Loyzaga returned to the national side as head coach. He then guided the Philippines to gold at the 1967 FIBA Asia Cup.
For all he achieved in the game, Carlos Loyzaga will be posthumously inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame later this year. He will become the first Filipino to receive the honor.
Previous Successes and Tournament Wins
The Philippines side has also enjoyed a checkered history at the Summer Olympics. The side performed strongly at the Games between 1936 and 1972, but they have not qualified for the tournament since. To date, their best finish remains at the 1936 Olympics, when they came fifth.
That said, the Philippines has continually excelled at the local level and remains a powerhouse of Asian basketball. The side has won five FIBA Asia Cup golds, four silvers and one bronze medal. They’ve also won four Asian Games titles, as well as a silver and two bronze medals.
How to Stream Gilas Pilipinas Men's Basketball
With Courtside 1891, worldwide fans can watch the Philippines compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (FOQTs) 2024. We stream every game of FIBA international tournaments as well as other competitions from around the world.
As FIBA’s premium streaming partner for the World Cup, Courtside 1891 provided access to every 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup game! Watch the competition's biggest games and best moments on-demand on our FIBA Basketball World Cup page.
The best way to make sure that you never miss a single second of the upcoming action is to download our app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, or sign up to our website platform. Please be aware that, due to broadcasting rights and restrictions, access to some games might be restricted depending on your location. See our where-to-watch page for full details of upcoming competitions.
Looking for the latest results from the world of basketball? Head over to the Courtside 1891 Game Center. Here you’ll also find matchup times in your country as well as easy-to-access game highlights you can watch when you register with Courtside 1891.
