As Gilas Pilipinas heads into the third window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers, the margin for error has all but disappeared.
Facing a daunting pair of road assignments against Australia and New Zealand, in Perth, Western Australia, the Philippines find themselves in a position where their World Cup hopes could be defined over the next two games.
In the second part of this series, we turn to the backcourt youth movement, examining how RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liaño can inject pace, playmaking, and fresh energy into the national team.
With the absence of Scottie Thompson in the third window due to a hamstring injury, head coach Tim Cone will now look to lean on two explosive stars in their backcourt.
Even early in their PBA careers, Gomez de Liaño and Abarrientos have both displayed potential and possible ceiling as future superstars.
Gomez de Liaño enjoyed an impressive first conference in the Philippine Cup, with all-around averages of 19.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists on 62.2 TS%. Abarrientos, meanwhile, won the Best Player of the Conference award in the Commissioner's Cup with numbers of 20.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on 63.6 TS%.
Can the pair make a similar impact in international play for Gilas?
Can Abarrientos' shooting pop to overcome defensive issues?
Outside shooting has long been one of the Philippines' biggest shortcomings in tournament play.
With a larger role seemingly in store this window, Abarrientos has a chance to address that need. Fresh off the Commissioner's Cup, in which he knocked down 41.8% of his three-pointers on 7.1 attempts per game, the one-time PBA champion brings the kind of perimeter gravity that Gilas has lacked. Whether it's pulling up off ball screens, spotting up off movement, or knocking down transition threes, Abarrientos has shown he can stretch defenses in a variety of ways.
The former FEU Tamaraws player's fit alongside Ginebra teammate Justin Brownlee as a one-pass away option when he's at the pinch post of the triangle offense has been optimal, while Mike Phillips' rim running and screen setting in pick-and-roll actions should collapse the defense and generate cleaner perimeter looks. If those pieces click, Abarrientos could become a valuable floor spacer in lineups that have often struggled to consistently threaten from deep.
Now, the challenge for the sophomore guard will be whether he can defend the elite shot creators that he might face in this window, such as Australia's Tyrese Proctor and Bryce Cotton. Abarrientos will need to stay decent or just passable on the defensive end, so the production he can give on the scoring department will be felt.
Gomez de Liaño as a stable Gilas' combo guard
Gilas' triangle offense has largely revolved around its established veterans, but Gomez de Liaño has the opportunity to inject a different look into the backcourt. As a guard who can play on or off the ball, get downhill, he offers another playmaking option who can add variety to an offense that often relies on precise execution in the half court.
That skillset could become a valuable wrinkle in Cone's system. Even though it's built on reads, spacing, and constant ball movement, it also benefits from guards who can break down the defense when opportunities present themselves. The No. 2 pick of the 2025 PBA Draft has the ability to push the tempo after stops, attack closeouts, and create secondary actions once the initial triangle set stalls.
The challenge, however, is finding the consistency that eluded him in the previous qualifying window.
Gomez de Liaño struggled to establish a rhythm with the ball, turning in an inefficient stretch while at times forcing the action instead of letting the offense come to him -- evidenced by his lowly 26.7% (4-for-15) shooting and -27 in 26 total minutes in the previous window. As the 27-year old guard faces Australia and New Zealand once again, he'll need to be much steadier with the rock, limit his mistakes, and make the simple and correct decisions that keep the triangle flowing possession after possession.
Ultimately, that's what could determine the trust that Cone places in him. The talent has never been in question, but in a system that values discipline and decision-making above all else, Gomez de Liaño must prove he can be a reliable connector rather than a high-risk playmaker.