MANILA – Receiving the call to join the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers is a huge confidence boost for PBA rookie Juan Gomez de Liaño.
The 26-year-old was recently included in the Gilas pool following his stellar outing for the Converge FiberXers in the PBA Philippine Cup.
But Gomez de Liaño is no stranger to the Gilas program, having last played for the national team in 2022 against New Zealand and India in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
READ: Juan GDL makes it to Gilas pool ahead of World Cup Asian Qualifiers
When he joined Gilas for its first training session on Tuesday, Gomez de Liaño said head coach Tim Cone had nothing but good words for him.
"He just gave me a lot of praise towards my game. For him to recognize that is what I said, it's such a blessing. Coach Tim, we all know he's one of the greats, not just in the PBA level, but internationally," he told ABS-CBN News.
"It kind of made me realize my worth again. It took me three years since my last Gilas stint. I'm here, I have so much to prove and I kinda of have a chip on my shoulder. Now that I'm back, I'm trying to help the team in whatever way I can," he said.
During the second day of Gilas training on Wednesday, Gomez de Liaño said he is coming into the national team equipped with more experience this time around.
"Just to be part of the pool is such a blessing for me. If ever I make the Final 12, you can expect me to bring a lot of energy and experience. I feel like I've gained a lot of experience playing overseas," he said.
"[I'm] much older, I'd say more mature. I'm a lot more smarter now, especially with just understanding the game. I play with a lot of pace, and I gained so much knowledge, just from the game of basketball itself, having that experience in Europe and in Asia," Gomez de Liaño added.
Converge's Juan Gomez de Liano in action against Ginebra in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup, November 14, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum. PBA MediaThe former University of the Philippines star said he got a call from the Gilas coach when he was at the beach.
"I think it was after the Ginebra game. We had a two-day off so I went to the beach with my brothers. So the following day, I received a call from Coach Tim. Basically he was asking for my commitment, wanting to join the pool," he said.
"For me it's the national team, it's always a go signal. It's a no-brainer, you know. I'd do anything to represent my country," Gomez de Liaño added.
READ: Juan GDL tallies career-high 32 pts as Converge lords over Ginebra
The Converge guard said he's learning a lot so far in the training sessions with Gilas.
"It's been good, honestly. I was already familiar with the way he [Coach Tim Cone] runs his system. Within those two days, I've learned a lot, especially for my teammates. We have a really good squad and a lot of veterans, especially the coaching staff. It's been a great learning experience so far," Gomez de Liaño said.
"It feels really good to reunite with the whole squad. It's such a fun environment to be in. We always look at a bigger picture. We're doing this not just for our families, our team, but just for the entire nation, the whole country," he added.
The Philippines will play Guam in the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, with a road game set on November 28 and a home game on December 1.