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New faces boost Gilas Boys in U18 Asia Cup bid

Sports | Basketball

New faces boost Gilas Boys in U18 Asia Cup bid

By Reynald I. Magallon

At A Glance

Several new faces are set to give the Gilas Pilipinas Boys team a much-needed boost in its bid in the 2026 FIBA U18 Asian Championships in Ahmedabad, India from Aug. 13 to 23.

Several new faces are set to give the Gilas Pilipinas Boys team a much-needed boost in its bid in the 2026 FIBA U18 Asian Championships in Ahmedabad, India from Aug. 13 to 23.

The 6-foot-7 Filipino-American Elias Gish from Far Eastern University provides the Nationals the ceiling they need alongside fellow newcomer in another 6-foot-7 big man Jacob Lacson of Ateneo.

Six-foot-five Fil-Canadian Aidan Dayco-Green, 5-foot-11 Fil-Australian and 6-foot-2 Perpetual Help guard Sizco Roquid are also among the new additions.

The new players are expected to fill in the spots of Ziv Espinas, Kyle Sardon, Hans Patagoc, Louis Razon, and SEABA Qualifiers MVP Joaquin Tovera, who is currently with De La Salle University in Saga, Japan for the 2026 University Top League.

Still leading the crew are Prince Cariño and Chog Moral alongside Ethan Aguas, JB Cagurungan, Andrew Chio, Pat Pasinos, and Bruce Tubongbanua.

At stake in the tournament are four spots in the 2027 FIBA U-19 World Cup in Pardubice, Czech Republic.

The Nationals are drawn in Group B with Australia, Chinese Taipei and Thailand with the top team getting an outright to the semifinals while the second and third placers will figure in a crossover qualification round against the second and third seed teams from the other group.

Related Tags

Gilas boys Fiba U18 Asia Cup Chog Moral

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