JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – For years, the Philippines searched for a floor general who could guide them back to the top of Asian basketball. They eventually found their answer in the lightning-quick guard nicknamed "The Blur."
Jayson Castro’s arrival on the FIBA Asia Cup stage in 2013 marked the beginning of a new era for Gilas Pilipinas. At just 176cm/5'9", he didn’t look like the prototype for dominance, but what he lacked in size he made up for with blistering speed, court vision and fearlessness.
In Manila 2013, Castro became the driving force of a team that electrified the home crowd every night. Tasked with organizing the offense, he averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. One of his best performances came in the Semi-Finals against Korea, where he delivered 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block as the Philippines broke a long-standing curse against their rivals with an 86-79 victory.
Against Iran in the Final, he added 18 points in a hard-fought loss that still secured a silver medal and a ticket to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014. His consistent play earned him a spot on the All-Star Five. Castswo was the first Filipino player to receive this honor.
Two years later at Changsha-Hunan 2015, Castro again took center stage. This time his numbers climbed to 16.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steal and 2.3 three-pointers per game, ranking among the tournament’s top scorers. In the group stage, he hit 16 points assists to lead a wire-to-wire win over Kuwait, and in the Quarter-Finals, he produced a sublime 25 points, 2 steals and 5 three-pointers to help Gilas eliminate Lebanon, 82-70.
In the Semi-Finals against Japan, Castro’s 20 points were crucial in a 81-70 victory that booked the Philippines a second consecutive trip to the Final. Once again, Iran proved too strong, but Castro was recognized for his work with a second straight All-Star Five selection, making him the only Filipino to achieve back-to-back honors.
In those two silver medal runs, Castro embodied everything the Philippines wanted to be: fast, unrelenting and fearless. Beyond the numbers, Castro’s impact lay in his ability to set the pace. His quick first step and willingness to take big shots kept defenses guessing. Between 2013 and 2015, he averaged 14.2 points per game across 18 Asia Cup contests, a mark that placed him among the elite guards of the period.
By the time he made his last FIBA Asia Cup appearance in 2017, Castro had already built an impressive resume: three tournaments, two silver medals, and consecutive All-Star Five awards. His production was still rock-solid with 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 three-pointers per contest. Castro also handed out 5.7 assists per game, which placed him among the top five playmakers of the tournament.
Even though the 2017 campaign ended in the Quarter-Finals for Gilas, Castro remained one of the tournament’s most respected and steady floor generals. Younger guards learned under his guidance, and his quickness and experience continued to create problems for opposing defenses.
In an era defined by powerhouse big men and towering wings, Castro proved that a relatively undersized guard could still change the game.
For the Philippines, those years signaled a revival. And while the Finals in 2013 and 2015 both ended in silver, Castro’s performances were at the center of their return to prominence in Asia.
FIBA