Gilas Import Justin Brownlee On Playing At The FIBA Asia Cup: 'Play The Best We Can'

Gilas Pilipinas is set to compete at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Nationals will be facing New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, and Iraq in Group D. Chinese Taipei will be the first assignment for Gilas Pilipinas on Tuesday, August 5, 9 pm (Jeddah Time) or Wednesday, August 6, 2 am (Manila Time), at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

New Zealand and Chinese Taipei are familiar opponents in their group, and both teams have beaten Gilas during this year's FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Among the teams competing in the tournament, Australia is still the team to beat.

"I think, obviously, Australia is probably going to be the best team in the tournament," Gilas Pilipinas Import Justin Brownlee said before their exhibition match against the Macau Black Bears ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup. "Of course, New Zealand is going to be tough. We obviously got some recent, past history with them. So, they're going to be tough."

"Lebanon is a very tough team. Jordan, then of course, China, Korea, Japan. I'm sure they're going to be tough, but we're not trying to overlook anybody. We've got Chinese Taipei coming up. They beat us last time, and our same group as well," Brownlee added.

With the daunting task of getting past New Zealand and Chinese Taipei in the group stage, Brownlee assures Gilas fans that they will go out to compete, give their all, and play the best basketball they can.

"New Zealand and Iraq, we going to look at every team and respect them with the highest most respect and not try to look over anybody, " the Gilas Pilipinas Naturalized Filipino said. "[We'll] just try to go out there and compete and try to give it all we can and play the best we can."