QUEZON CITY (Philippines) - After nearly two decades of unwavering commitment to flag and country, Japeth Aguilar has decided to call it a day as he bid farewell to the Philippine national team on Monday night.
The attention was on the 38-year-old as Gilas Pilipinas paid tribute to one of their pioneers prior to their eventual 90-76 win over Guam to close out Window 1 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
It was an emotional scene at the packed Blue Eagle Gym, as he basked in the cheers and adoration of the home crowd upon receiving a framed uniform at center court, all while accompanied by his wife and children.
And it couldn't get any more poetic for the veteran internationalist, as his final appearance in a Team Pilipinas uniform happened where it all started for him.
Aguilar began his journey at the Ateneo de Manila University where the decades-old venue is located, marking the start of what would be an illustrious career for the proud son of Sasmuan, Pampanga.
He played for Ateneo for two years before taking his talents to Western Kentucky University in the US NCAA, where he would spend a couple of years as well with the Hilltoppers before returning home in 2009.
That year would also be the commencement of his men's team career.
Aguilar, still with WKU then, was named part of the Philippine crew that took part in the FIBA Asia Cup in Tianjin, China, in which they made it to the Quarter-Finals before settling for an 8th-place finish.
He'd be a national team mainstay since then. In fact, he was among the first members of the program that's known by many today as Gilas, put together in that same year as well and with Rajko Toroman as its first head coach.
From then on, the high-flying big man would experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with Team Philippines, but his time of course will always be remembered for all the success they achieved.
"It just brings back the idea of how much he's contributed over the years, thinking this was his last one but he's played so many over the years," offered head coach Tim Cone moments after the match.
That, of course, includes the 'golden silver' in the 2013 Asia Cup in Manila, where their entry to the Final - buoyed by an upset against Korea in the Semi-Finals - sent the country to its first World Cup in nearly 40 years.
From breaking that long of a drought, the Philippines would make it to three consecutive World Cups, the most recent being the ultra-successful 2023 which they co-hosted together with Japan and Indonesia.
Aguilar has won an Asia Cup silver medal and a pair of SEABA championships. He also struck gold in the Asian Games back in 2023 in Hangzhou, where they ended the nation's 61-year title drought in the meet.
In FIBA competitions alone, he has worn 82 caps, including his final game against Guam.
Aguilar was actually all set to call it quits a few years ago, but simply couldn't turn his back on serving the country - especially when Cone took over the coaching reins from Chot Reyes during the latter part of 2023.
The 67-year-old bench tactician has also been his coach in Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association since the latter was hired by the ball club back in 2015.
"As I told him, his wife, Cassie, when she sees my wife, she always tells my wife, 'Can you please allow Japeth to retire so that he can spend more time with his kids and focus on his Ginebra career?'" Cone shared.
"And I keep saying no," added the PBA champion mentor with a chuckle.
But now, he leaves the house he helped build feeling confident of its future, given the surplus of young bigs the program has right now - from Kai Sotto, to Quentin Millora-Brown, and to AJ Edu, to name some.
"Definitely, this group has great potential. They're really versatile," Aguilar told One Sports in Filipino, in awe of the size and talent Gilas possesses. "They just need to learn the system of Coach [Tim Cone]."
In his final curtain call with the national team, Aguilar tallied 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal as Justin Brownlee and the rest of the squad gave him a fitting sendoff, in the process staying perfect in the Asian Qualifiers.
FIBA