The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas bet big on its 3×3 program. That bet just paid off in a massive way.

Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men punched their ticket to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup after a dominant campaign at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Nations League Asia 2 tournament in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

The young Filipino squad went toe-to-toe with Under-21 teams from Japan, New Zealand, Belarus, Singapore, and Malaysia. They reached the finals in five of six stops, winning three of them to seal the top spot in the standings.

It wasn’t a flawless run. Gilas opened with back-to-back wins before dropping a tight battle to Belarus in the Stop 1 finals. A rough Stop 2 followed, with no podium finish to show for it.

But the Filipinos didn’t blink. They stormed back to beat Japan for the Stop 3 title, then closed out the tournament in style, downing New Zealand and Japan again in Stops 4 and 5 — both times on game-winning two-point buckets.

When the dust settled, the Philippines had racked up 520 points, a commanding 50 points clear of second-place Japan, locking in their World Cup berth in dramatic fashion.

A Program Built on Investment — and It’s Showing

SBP Executive Director Erika Dy said the milestone is a direct result of the federation’s sustained push into the 3×3 discipline.

“Earlier this year, our Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Women ended an eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. Now Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men will also end their own eight-year drought to make it back to the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup,” Dy said. “This achievement is further proof that Filipinos are world-class not just in basketball but also in 3×3. With the support of our sponsors and the commitment of stakeholders, the SBP will continue to put our athletes in positions to succeed.”

The last time the Philippines made it this far was 2018, when a squad featuring RJ Abarrientos, Ricci Rivero, Rhayyan Amsali, and Jeepy Faundo went 2-2 in pool play, finishing ninth out of 20 teams. Eight years later, a new generation has erased that drought — and made a statement doing it.

Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Program Director Ryan Gregorio credited the win to a rare show of unity across Philippine college basketball.

“On behalf of the SBP 3×3 program, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the schools, coaches, and team officials who supported Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 by allowing their players to represent the country,” Gregorio said.

Gregorio singled out FEU Athletic Director Mark Molina and coach Sean Chambers for rearranging the team’s U.S. training schedule so Cabs Cabonilas and Jedric Daa could suit up. He also thanked Alfrancis Chua and coach Pido Jarencio for loaning UST big man Koji Buenaflor, Adamson coach Nash Racela for clearing Earl Medina to join the national squad, and team manager Jude Roque along with coach Yuri Escueta for allowing Jhun Dela Rama to represent Gilas despite being in residency.

“Their trust, cooperation, and shared commitment to Philippine basketball embody the spirit of ‘one team, one country.’ We truly appreciate their invaluable support,” Gregorio added.

Sponsors Eye an Even Bigger Prize: The Olympics

The run in Malaysia also drew praise from program partners Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and NLEX, who framed the World Cup berth as one step in a much longer journey.

“We at MPTC and NLEX send our congratulations to the Gilas 3×3 Men after their successful campaign in Malaysia,” said NLEX Governor Ronald Dulatre. “We’re happy to support the SBP’s 3×3 Program from the youth teams all the way to the elite because the goal remains to be an Olympic slot for the Philippines, and investing in our young talent will pay more dividends in the future.”

That long-term vision now has a near-term test. Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Men will face the world’s best from September 15-19 in Wuhan, China, at the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup — the latest step in the Philippines’ rapid rise in international 3×3 basketball.

For a federation that has poured resources into a discipline once considered a side project, the message from Malaysia was clear: the gamble on 3×3 is working.