No Justin Brownlee in Gilas Pilipinas’ homestand vs Jordan, Iran

STRUGGLES. Justin Brownlee in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers. FIBA Head coach Tim Cone says Gilas Pilipinas will go 'all-Filipino' against Iran and Jordan in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers as Justin Brownlee has yet to return to the pink of health Gilas Pilipinas is missing Justin Brownlee for two crucial home games in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers due to health issues. Head coach Tim Cone confirmed that Brownlee does not feel healthy enough to contribute, and the team will play without him using an all-Filipino lineup. The team aims to sweep Jordan and Iran to improve their chances of qualifying for the World Cup, currently sitting at a 2-4 record in Group E. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas continues to miss the services of Justin Brownlee as it plays without the naturalized star in two crucial home games in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. Head coach Tim Cone made the announcement on Monday, August 24, saying Brownlee has yet to return to the pink of health. “At this point, he doesn’t feel he’s really healthy enough to contribute. Whether that’s really injury or health, he was having some issues, obviously,” Cone said in a press conference at the Mall of Asia Arena, where the Philippines will host Jordan and Iran on August 28 and 30, respectively. Brownlee last donned the national colors in a 106-102 double overtime loss to New Zealand in the third window in July, putting up 5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Leg and knee injuries, however, kept Brownlee sidelined during the next game against Australia, with the Philippines absorbing a 92-49 beating. “As we know from the last window, he wasn’t able to play against Australia. We’re hoping that those issues would be resolved by the time we play here, but as it turned out, he’s telling us that he’s just not healthy enough,” said Cone. Without Brownlee, the Nationals are forced to parade an “all-Filipino” lineup as no other naturalized player is available to suit up in the upcoming window. Bennie Boatwright still needs President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign the bill granting him Filipino citizenship, while Ange Kouame is currently under contract with a team in France. Losing Brownlee is a major blow, considering that Gilas Pilipinas seeks to sweep Jordan and Iran to boost its prospects of qualifying for the World Cup for the fourth straight edition. With a 2-4 record, the Philippines sits at joint fifth with Syria in Group E behind Australia (6-0), Iran (5-1), Jordan (4-1), and New Zealand (4-2). Only the top three teams and the best fourth-placed squad between groups E and F will advance. But optimism is still high for Gilas Pilipinas as it welcomes back Kai Sotto to the fold. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading