Gilas Pilipinas vs Bahrain: PH begins 2026 Asian Games title defense

More than a week before the 2026 Asian Games opening ceremony, the Philippines will already begin its campaign as Gilas Pilipinas starts its men’s basketball title defense.

On Friday, the Philippines will face Bahrain at 12 p.m., with the all-PBA squad taking on the challenge of playing without an import.

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone previously said the team will rely on quickness to make up for its lack of size.

That system will be led by the likes of Robert Bolick, Adrian Nocum, RJ Abarrientos, Sedrick Barefield, and Jerrick Ahanmisi. Also joining the national team are Justine Baltazar, Zav Lucero, Brandon Bates, Justin Arana, Don Trollano, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.

Calvin Oftana was selected as the 12th and final player on the roster.

READ MORE | Gilas Pilipinas lineup and schedule

“I think the best asset of this team is how receptive they were to what we're trying to do. Sometimes what we're teaching is not really what they're taught in their own respective teams but they've been open-minded. They've embraced the philosophies that we've been trying to teach them because the most important thing is that everybody's on the same page, and I think that's the best thing that made this a little bit easier,” Gilas Pilipinas assistant coach Richard del Rosario previously said.

Before flying to Japan, the Philippines played two tuneup games against South Korea, losing 81-55 and 69-42.

Despite those results, Cone said before the tuneups that the team is aiming for a medal—and hopefully a gold one.

“Nobody had any expectations for us in 2023. But now that we've won it, now the expectations are going to be stronger and bigger. We really want to make sure we get a medal and hopefully it's going to be a gold medal,” Cone previously said.

“So I think the expectations for this one are going to be a little bit different for us.”

After Bahrain, the Philippines will face Kazakhstan on Saturday before taking on China on September 14.

—GMA News