Should Gilas Add Quentin Millora-Brown to its Pool?
In the days leading up to Gilas’ scintillating win over New Zealand, I found something curious.
I don’t know if it was recency bias, perfect timing by content creators, or sheer basketball genius. Maybe a combination of all three.
I am talking, of course, about all the buzz surrounding UP’s Quentin Millora-Brown in a Gilas jersey.
“Overnight sensation” might be too strong a term, but the fact is, QMB’s prominence in the local hoops scene has risen dramatically over the past couple of months. People’s reactions to him have gone from “Oh look, another blue-chip recruit by an insanely stacked UAAP squad” to “This guy’s pretty good and I can’t believe I’ve heard of him just now,” all the way to “Put him in the national team, like, right now!”
Why are Pinoy netizens eagerly discussing the Gilas eligibility of QMB in particular, when there are so many other talented options in the PBA, the local collegiate scene, and the East Asia pro leagues? For starters, this dude is bigger than most of those other Gilas prospects. At 6-foot-10 and circa 245 lbs., Millora-Brown raises the ceiling for a national team that is swiftly shedding the specter of height disadvantage.
Then, there’s his skill set—for all intents and purposes, a tribute to the classic mold of big men. Look at how QMB emphatically seals his defenders under the rim, catches the ball thrown at weird angles and trajectories, and finishes with a feathery touch. I’d venture to say that this 24-year-old center has hands that a violinist or surgeon would envy.
Did we mention that the Virginia native played six seasons of Division I basketball in the U.S. NCAA before he joined the Fighting Maroons? It’s ironic that he’s a rookie to UAAP action when he’s actually a veteran of collegiate wars on behalf of Rice University, Vanderbilt, and The Citadel (where he averaged a near double-double with 11.2 points and 9.4 rebounds).
A polished big man who’s more seasoned than plenty of his peers…that certainly sounds like a Gilas shoe-in, doesn’t it? Sorry, but there are reasons to burst this bubble.
Gilas head coach Tim Cone—long may he reign—has gone on record to say that he’ll stick to a short pool of players as much as possible. “The teaching part of the team is much harder when you have a big pool,” said the PBA’s most decorated coach in a July 15 press conference. “We decided to go with a smaller pool…because the preparation time is less.”
Because of injuries in the lead-up to the July OQT as well as the November games, the otherwise padlocked door of the Gilas gym opened ever slightly to let Japeth Aguilar and Mason Amos inside. To the best of our knowledge, Millora-Brown has received no such invitation yet.
Is there any hope, then, for the one-and-done big man to go from Unibersidad ng Pilipinas to Gilas Pilipinas? There is, actually.
This idea came to me after listening to a recent episode of Boleros. (Sam, Gab, and Maui: You guys rock.)
Father Time is—and will always be—undefeated. With June Mar Fajardo at 35, Justin Brownlee at 36, and Japeth Aguilar at 37, our Gilas frontcourt will need an infusion of young blood sooner rather than later. Kai Sotto and AJ Edu will be mainstays in the starting lineup for years to come, but we need more depth. Carl Tamayo and Mason Amos are vital cogs who are already learning at the feet of the masters, but neither one of them is an imposing rim protector who stands above 6-foot-8.
(And Ange Kouame? All I can say is, I can think of a fellow Katipunan stalwart who’ll form a Twin Tower tandem with the dude who is arguably the UAAP’s greatest FSA ever.)
Like the Boleros suggested, perhaps it’s high time to integrate some more prospects into the Gilas system. While those elder statesmen can still lace up their sneakers, let’s have a selection of up-and-coming stars that can pick their brains apart and eventually carry on their heritage of competitive play at the international level.
So, where do we start with this transition from old to young? Simoun says: I have a Q for Gilas Pilipinas. This man will be the answer to questions surrounding the replenishment of frontcourt talent on our national team. His name—remember it—is Quentin Millora-Brown.
By the Numbers
30
The biggest lead held by the College of Saint Benilde Blazers in their decisive 79-63 victory over the San Beda Red Lions this past Saturday. Ths victory—bannered by the trio of Allen Liwag (20 points), Tony Ynot (17 points), Jhomel Ancheta (11 points)—ensures that there will be a new title holder in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament with the elimination of season 99 champions San Beda.
33
The career high of Clint Escamis in the scoring department. The reigning NCAA MVP achieved this milestone when the Mapua Cardinals dispatched the Lyceum Pirates 89-79 in the other Final Four matchup. The Mapua-CSB matchup in the championship series marks the first time in 20 seasons that both San Beda and Letran aren’t in the NCAA Finals.
34.5%
The shooting percentage of the Cleveland Cavaliers from beyond the arc in their Nov. 20 loss to the Boston Celtics. In a game where the Cavs and Celtics were dead even in multiple key stats, outside shooting was a crucial factor that led to Cleveland’s 15-game win streak coming to an end. On the other side, the reigning NBA champions made 53.7% of their three-point attempts (including 6-for-10 from Jayson Tatum).
Tweet of the Week
I can’t even begin to describe how elated I was to learn that Inside the NBA will live on for the foreseeable future. This clip is ironically hilarious because Chuck’s brutal honesty, Kenny’s instigating banter, Shaq’s juvenile behavior, and Ernie’s immaculate hosting will be seen on ESPN starting 2025. Can’t wait for more bracelet stories, petty fights about turn taking, and calculations of gas budget from the TNT crew!
