Even before the final game of the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League–Asia 2 Conference, Gilas Pilipinas Boys had already secured the prize they came to Malaysia for—a coveted spot in the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup.
The Philippine squad officially booked its place in the global tournament after advancing to the championship round of the sixth and final stop on Sunday at Hextar World Empire City in Petaling Jaya.
By reaching another final, Gilas accumulated enough points in the overall conference standings to mathematically eliminate Japan from the race for the lone World Cup berth. The Philippines is guaranteed at least 500 points, while Japan can only finish with a maximum of 490 even if it wins the last stop.
The qualification caps off a week-long campaign that showcased Gilas as one of the most consistent teams in the Asia 2 Conference. The Filipinos reached the championship match in five of the six stops, highlighted by title victories in Stops 3 and 5.
Their final push toward World Cup qualification began with a composed 17-11 victory over New Zealand in the pool stage.
With Earl Medina resting, Jhuniel Dela Rama stepped into the lineup and helped keep the team in rhythm, while Cabs Cabonilas once again emerged as the offensive spark with six points. Jedric Daa and Koji Buenaflor added five points apiece to complete the balanced attack.
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UNSTOPPABLE GILAS
Gilas Pilipinas U21 capped off the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League – U21 Asia-2 with another victory, winning Stop 6 to finish atop the conference standings for a FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup berth.#FIBA3x3 #GilasPilipinas pic.twitter.com/y4i5JJ6uIJ
— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) July 19, 2026
The Philippines left no room for suspense in its second outing.
Cabonilas exploded for 13 points as Gilas overwhelmed Singapore, 20-9, to seal first place in the group and officially punch its ticket to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup, which will be held from September 15 to 19 in Wuhan, China.
The achievement also highlights the steady progress of the Gilas Pilipinas Boys 3×3 program under program director Ryan Gregorio, alongside trainers Kirk Collier, JJ Española, and Patrick Fran.
While the ultimate objective has already been achieved, the Filipinos are not done yet.
Gilas Pilipinas will still compete in the championship game of the final stop, aiming to finish its memorable Nations League campaign with one more title before shifting its focus to the world stage in China.
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