Gilas Pilipinas forward Carl Tamayo at the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas forward Carl Tamayo will be well-equipped heading into battle for the Philippines in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup.
Tamayo, who has won two titles in two different professional leagues in just a span of three years, will embark on another foray with the national team and he’s excited to show what he’s learned so far.
READ: Dwight Ramos says Carl Tamayo should’ve been KBL Finals MVP
“The experience that I got from playing internationally is a huge thing because of course, that can help [me] in the national team,” Tamayo said recently.
“At first it wasn’t easy because I faced guys older than me and more experienced but along the way, I adjusted throughout the seasons against those professionals.”
Despite going up against guys who Tamayo deemed were “older and more experienced than him,” the State U product still came out on top regardless.
In his first professional title in the Japanese B.League, Tamayo wasn’t able to chip in much for the Ryukyu Golden Kings during their 2023 title run.
But that wasn’t the case when he took his talents to the Korean Basketball League (KBL).
READ: Carl Tamayo celebrates latest title of young career
Tamayo powered the Changwon LG Sakers to history while also making his own, helping the club to its first-ever KBL crown.
The title also made Tamayo the only Filipino to win titles in both the B.League and the KBL.
Tamayo isn’t just eager to show Gilas his newfound grit but he’s also excited to show it to the home fans as well.
He has a chance to do that Monday night here at Araneta Coliseum, when Gilas takes on the Macau Black Bears in a send-off game before the Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia happening in two weeks.
“I missed this [the Big Dome] so much. I remember my first time playing here and we have a chance to play here again.”
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“Hopefully, the fans support us here.”