SBP Awaits Final Eligibility Decision for Justin Brownlee Ahead of SEA Games

The participation of Justin Brownlee for Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games remains uncertain as the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) awaits the definitive eligibility ruling from the SEA Games local organizing committee in Thailand.

SBP Executive Director Erika Dy disclosed that, with the Games less than a month away, the Thailand committee has yet to finalize the eligibility guidelines for athletes. Initially, the rule stipulated a passport-only requirement across all sports, but a recently distributed handbook introduces both the FIBA regulation—stating that an athlete qualifies as a local only if their national passport was obtained before turning 16—and the passport-only criterion.

To clarify these ambiguities, the SBP participated in a virtual meeting with Thailand’s basketball federation and other ASEAN counterparts; however, the eligibility issue remained unresolved.

"There are indeed many complications. We are quite frustrated since the first eligibility rule issued was passport-only, despite it being the SEA Games," Dy explained on Monday. "We understand the host country has the prerogative to set rules, so we have prepared alternative plans."

Dy confirmed that the SBP has already submitted its lineup for approval. If no feedback is received by November 26, the submitted roster will be considered final, although the SBP has withheld the names pending official confirmation.

"We submitted our updated lineup about two weeks ago," she said, "and according to our president Bambol Tolentino, if no comments come by the 26th, the lineup is approved. This roster differs from the initial one we sent a month ago."

Despite the eligibility uncertainty, the SEA Games results will not impact the Philippines’ ambitions for Olympic qualification, as the tournament does not serve as a qualifier for the Olympics or the FIBA World Cup.

"The positive aspect is that the SEA Games are separate from our larger objective of reaching the Olympics. It’s not a qualifier for any major event," Dy emphasized. "Nonetheless, we aim to put forward our best team to proudly represent the country."

Norman Black is set to serve as head coach for the team, which potentially includes notable players such as Ray Parks Jr., Mike Phillips, Ange Kouame, Matthew Wright, and Dave Ildefonso.

As the SEA Games approach, the SBP remains focused on finalizing its roster and preparing the team to carry the national flag with pride despite pending eligibility clarifications.