Juan Gomez de Liano may have emerged as one of the biggest revelations for Gilas Pilipinas in the latest FIBA window, but the rookie guard isn’t ready to assume anything.
Fresh from turning heads in the national team’s hard-fought battles against New Zealand and Australia, Gomez de Liano returned to PBA action with Converge on Sunday carrying newfound confidence—but also the same mindset that earned him his opportunity in the first place.
The 24-year-old guard was back in uniform as the FiberXers cruised to a 105-74 victory over Titan Ultra at the Ynares Center in Montalban, days after making what many considered a breakthrough performance in a Gilas jersey.
Against New Zealand, Gomez de Liano delivered under pressure, knocking down two clutch three-pointers that nearly helped the Philippines steal a road victory.
His first triple forced overtime, while his second gave Gilas a chance to complete the upset before the Tall Blacks eventually escaped with a double-overtime win.
The performance quickly sparked conversations about whether Gomez de Liano had secured a permanent place in Tim Cone’s rotation moving forward.
The Converge rookie believes he made a strong case, but knows the decision ultimately rests with the coaching staff.
“Performance-wise, I hope so,” Gomez de Liano said.
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Rather than looking too far ahead, the former UP standout insisted his focus remains on controlling what he can every time he receives a national team call-up.
“Those things are pretty much out of my control,” said the PBA rookie. “If I said it’s out of my control, If I get a call up, I’ll just do my thing and show up and just be there for the guys.
“It’s out of my control, but you know, I can’t say I’ll screw the spot. So, I’ll just stay calm,” added Gomez de Liano.
The challenge for Gilas only becomes tougher from here.
The Philippines advanced to the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers with a 2-4 record and now finds itself fifth in Group E behind Australia, New Zealand, Iran, and Jordan.
With only three qualifying windows remaining, every game has taken on added significance.
Gilas will face Jordan and Iran at home in late August before taking on Syria later in the qualifying campaign, with each of the three Middle Eastern teams scheduled to meet the Philippines twice.
For Gomez de Liano, the path to the World Cup leaves little room for error.
“I feel like must win games for us,” Gomez de Liano said. “I don’t think we can afford to lose, you know, those Middle Eastern teams. They know how to play basketball the right way.”
His recent performance may have strengthened his case for a larger role, but Gomez de Liano knows the bigger objective extends beyond individual recognition.
As Gilas enters the most critical stretch of its World Cup campaign, the young guard hopes to turn one impressive qualifying window into a lasting role in the national team’s pursuit of a place on basketball’s biggest stage.
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