Gilas Pilipinas will go to battle once more. This time, they will fight to end a decades-long dry spell and make the basketball Olympics at Rio de Janeiro for the first time since 1972.
After falling short of the gold at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, the Philippine national men's basketball team will have to go through the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament hosted by Manila.
Gilas, led by head coach Tab Baldwin, will be up against some of the world's basketball powerhouses with its first assignment being France, ranked 5th in the world. New Zealand will be Gilas' last foe in Group B of the 6-nation tilt. Canada, Turkey, and Senegal make up Group A.
The winner of the tournament will go on to the Rio Olympics along with winners of the two other qualifiers simultaneously happening from July 5 to 10.
There will be no room for error for Gilas, and they are more than willing to rise to the challenge.
Meet the 12 men who will again carry the hopes of an entire nation.
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<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/A90E9BE7FC3F41C08F67DDE73F095662/Aguilar.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">JAPETH AGUILAR</a><br>High-Octane Dunker</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/A138A828AEE04D85A144AF7BA88F6F0E/Blatche.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/67347-andray-blatche-profile" target="_blank">ANDRAY BLATCHE</a><br>All-Around Offensive Star</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/3419E7D625CC48CCB8F1ACF6697EF2D3/Castro.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/35092-jayson-castro-profile" target="_blank">JAYSON CASTRO</a><br>Asia's Best Point Guard</h4></center></div>
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<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/972B4CE8C5AC4674A7B8D50286EA5F29/Chan.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">JEFF CHAN</a><br>Deadly Sniper</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/9E52C16229A442C2A69D986F4F801EEA/Fajardo.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">JUNE MAR FAJARDO</a><br>Paint Patroller</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/4D99DE8AB3EA4E67AFE19C6D3B2D4B82/Norwood.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/35095-gabe-norwood-profile" target="_blank">GABE NORWOOD</a><br>Elite Perimeter Defender</h4></center></div>
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<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/5617B3C356BD48428D7B591985C23D11/Ocampo.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/35099-ranidel-de-ocampo-profile" target="_blank">RANIDEL DE OCAMPO</a><br>Versatile Offensive Weapon</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/D5C91A8FF0844B968BF31042AA86C5F8/Parks.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">RAY PARKS</a><br>A Foreboding Force</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/E3FE2F0398364969B6BA3593F0EC704B/Pingris.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/35102-marc-pingris-profile" target="_blank">MARC PINGRIS</a><br>Interior Defender</h4></center></div>
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<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/933C27C42DFE486DB5A11343FD2F2102/Reyes.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">RYAN REYES</a><br>Steady Combo Guard</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/ECC9D55DC0674E06AE395EBAFF03CD7D/Romeo.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas/106374-terrence-romeo-profile" target="_blank">TERRENCE ROMEO</a><br>Explosive Scorer</h4></center></div>
<div class="col-sm-4"><img src="http://assets.rappler.com/C610989EF6574F1CAFDFD76C3F1449B1/img/703F48E329614F37B3F64A57E618E444/Rosario.jpg" alt=""><center><h4><a href="http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/gilas-pilipinas" target="_blank">TROY ROSARIO</a><br>Developing Offensive Threat</h4></center></div>
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RELATED: Final 12-man Gilas roster announced for OQT | Your guide to the FIBA OQT in Manila
Introduction byJane Bracher | Illustrations by Ernest Fiestan | Layout by Dominic Tuazon
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