Juan Gomez de Liaño gets Gilas Pilipinas call amid stellar PBA start

MANILA, Philippines – Juan Gomez de Liaño’s fine play in the PBA earned him a Gilas Pilipinas call-up.

The talented guard has been added to the national team pool ahead of the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, where the Philippines will face Guam in back-to-back games.

“He has been invited to join us in practice for this window with the idea that we will look to include him in future windows,” said Gilas head coach Tim Cone on Monday, November 17.

Gomez de Liaño’s addition comes amid a stellar start to his PBA career, highlighted by an impressive performance against no less than Cone and Barangay Ginebra.

Against the Gin Kings, Gomez de Liaño turned in a season-high 32 points on 13-of-16 shooting to go with 6 rebounds and 6 assists, leading Converge to a convincing 106-96 win last Friday, November 14.

Cone said after the game that Gomez de Liaño “looked like the best player in the league tonight.”

Drafted second overall in the recent draft, Gomez de Liaño did not take long to announce his arrival in the league, becoming the first PBA player to record a triple-double in a debut.

The 25-year-old is averaging 17.0 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.1 rebounds.

If Gomez de Liaño cracks the lineup, it will be his first time donning the national colors since 2022, when he represented the country in the qualifiers of the 2023 World Cup.

Gilas will first tangle with Guam on the road on November 28, and will then host the same foes at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym on December 1. – Rappler.com