Troy Rosario returns to Gilas training pool for final window of FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

REDEMPTION is the name of the game as Troy Rosario brims with hunger and excitement in his surprise return to the Gilas Pilipinas training pool for the final window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers next month.

Almost three years since his last national team stint, Mr. Rosario has been called up by Gilas head coach Tim Cone, also his mentor in Ginebra, to the Gilas camp to fill up the void set to be left by injured players Kai Sotto (ACL) and Kevin Quiambao (sprain).

And Mr. Rosario can’t wait to strut his stuff once again with hopes of redeeming himself after being part of the infamous Gilas’ team that settled for a silver medal for the first time in 33 years in the 31^st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi.

Mr. Rosario was also part of Mr. Cone’s SEA Games championship team at home in 2019 and the FIBA World Cup under Yeng Guiao that same year before playing under Chot Reyes from there on.

With a revamped squad led by rising stars and under Mr. Cone’s tutelage, Gilas improved by leaps and bounds since then highlighted by the Asian Games title for the first time in 61 years, tough stand in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and an unbeaten record in the Asia Cup Qualifiers.

Nothing is cast in stone with regard  to Mr. Rosario’s inclusion in the Final 12 but what motivates him is the challenge of riding with the fresh legs of Gilas youngsters led by Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, Mason Amos, Calvin Oftana and Dwight Ramos — with Messrs. Sotto and Quiambao out.

Mr. Rosario and company will be assembled by Mr. Cone in a Doha training camp early next month as the Asia Cup-bound Gilas (4-0) goes on the road against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand on Feb. 20 and 23, respectively, for a Group B sweep. — John Bryan Ulanday