Welcome Back Kaiju!: National Sensation Kai Sotto Pioneers Gilas to a 2-0 Sweep In the 4th Window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
By Javin Cuevas
September 1, 2026
6-min read
Copyread by Nicole Magaru
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MANILA, Philippines — Sometimes all you need is a missing piece, and that was the case for Gilas Pilipinas as the 7'3 big man hailing from Las Piñas, Kai Zachary Sotto gave back the national team the interior presence they needed to help Gilas Pilipinas keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Sotto’s debut game with Gilas after months of injury rehab against Jordan’s national team couldn’t have had a more dramatic ending. Gilas had a slow start at the beginning of the first half, falling behind by as many as 18 points. Gilas had slowly regained momentum in the beginning of the second half thanks to their coaching staff’s defensive adjustments and how Gilas capitalized on their fast paced offense, and transition game.
The last plays of the game set the tone for Gilas’ victory, with 13 seconds left on the clock Quiambao hits the clutch three pointer for the lead, then next possesion—Sotto with the loud monster block to put the game to ice. Sotto led the game in stats, dropping 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks, plus the crucial defensive play before the buzzer.
Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach Tim Cone had already described Sotto as a “game-changer” before the window. Then after the Jordan game, Sotto lived up to the hype as Coach Tim Cone further recognized Sotto’s performance, he praised Sotto’s basketball IQ, and his defensive instincts that helped him secure the huge game-winning block in an overtime thriller to secure their first win in the window, final score 82-81.
The win over Jordan moved Gilas to 3-4 in the group and ended the four-game losing streak against their past matches with New Zealand and Australia in the previous window. But the job was far from finished as Iran awaited the Philippines two days later, giving them another difficult test to prove themselves that their victory wasn’t just simply an 18-point comeback.
In their match against Iran, Gilas once again suffered from a slow start to begin the match, Iran capitalized on Sotto’s main weaknesses which were his perimeter and pick-and-roll defense. Sotto bounced back as he continued to dominate the paint and secure rebounds, he swiftly recorded a double-double—10 points and 10 rebounds before ending the first half.
Gilas’ offense hit a spark as continuous offensive runs led by Ramos, and Gomez de Liaño helped gain the lead by the end of the third quarter. The team effort and hustle of Gilas pushed through until the final minutes of the match as the game ended 68-56 marking Gilas’ first win against Iran since 2015.
As Gilas successfully concluded their Window 4 campaign with a sweep of its homestand at Mall of Asia Arena, Sotto’s return sparked a winning momentum for their upcoming games in the next window. Sotto at just 24 years old—showed great promise for the program’s future, and is looking forward to becoming a centerpiece of a newer and brighter era for Gilas Pilipinas.
Coincidentally PBA legend and Philippine national team veteran June Mar Fajardo is set to conclude his 13-year journey with the national team after the August window, turning the last two matches in the fourth window as his final games for Gilas. His cause for retirement was—he wanted to step down to give the younger core of the team more opportunities for international exposure without him on the fold. He also admitted that his body could no longer keep up with the more fast-paced era the game has evolved to.
Fajardo’s retirement will lead to the younger squad of Gilas to be given greater responsibility more so to Kai Sotto. It is definite that Sotto still has to establish himself over time, but it’s also undeniable that the loss of Fajardo makes Sotto’s role in the frontcourt more significant. As June Mar Fajardo’s Gilas campaign finally comes to an end, Sotto is now beginning to write what could become for Gilas Pilipinas.
Sotto’s return could not have come at a more important time. After a nearly two-year hiatus, Sotto’s presence helped establish a 2-0 sweep and renewed hope for Gilas’ World Cup qualifying campaign. Alongside him, young standouts Dwight Ramos, Kevin Quiambao, AJ Edu and Juan Gomez de Liaño proved that Gilas’ future will not stand on one player alone.
And now the Gilas Pilipinas Coaching Staff alongside Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) sets their sights on supporting Sotto to give it another shot for the National Basketball Association in America. Coach Tim Cone stated in a post-game conference that he offered to reach out to the Miami Heat Coaching Staff to try and get Sotto for potential NBA opportunities and to hopefully make us Filipinos proud once more like he did with the Orlando Magic in the 2023 NBA Summer League.
Sky’s the limit for the 7’3 generational promise. With him now being better than ever, he and Gilas’ future seems to be driving to the right path for a brighter future. Let’s all hope for a smooth and healthy journey not just for Kai Sotto but all our national players, as they continue to work hard for our country’s pride and glory.
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