MANILA, Philippines -- Japeth Aguilar may be past his athletic prime but the Barangay Ginebra forward remains a valuable contributor for Gilas Pilipinas both on the court and off it.

This, according to national team coach Chot Reyes after Aguilar helped Gilas secure an impressive 74-66 victory over Jordan in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, last Thursday in Amman (Friday morning in Manila).

Aguilar, who has been playing for the national team for over a decade now, contributed five points , three assists, two rebounds, a block and a steal in nearly 26 minutes of playing time. But Reyes was quick to point out that his impact cannot be seen solely by the numbers.

• GAME RECAP: Sotto, in-form Gilas down Jordan

"Japeth just brings so much to the team. A lot of it doesn't reflect on the stats," said Reyes. "But the little things that he does, if he fronts the post like he did today and they don't pass it and make another extra pass -- that doesn't show up in the stat sheet."

"For us that was a big part of our defensive game. Japeth was a big part of it," he added.

Aguilar had been unable to play for Gilas in the 31st Southeast Asian Games and in the FIBA Asia Cup earlier this year, with the Philippines underperforming in both tournaments. Reyes believes that the veteran was sorely missed in those competitions, as someone with a wealth of experience in the international game as well as a knowledge of the Gilas system.

Moreover, Aguilar -- along with TNT center Poy Erram -- has been a much-needed voice off the court for the likes of Kai Sotto, Ange Kouame, and Kevin Quiambao. The young bigs all made the trip to Amman with Gilas, with La Salle's Quiambao the only one to sit out against Jordan.

"The second part the value of Japeth and Poy is really their willingness to mentor Kai and Ange, the younger guys and KQ [Quiambao]," said Reyes.

"They have big roles and big responsibilities on their shoulders and we're really fortunate they are willing to do it," he added.

Aguilar has previously said that he is proud of his role as a veteran and a mentor in Gilas, notably for the 20-year-old Sotto.

• READ: Japeth Aguilar, now Gilas' elder statesman, glad to see young talents flourish

"I'm very happy na we're still getting these young talents," Aguilar said in August, after Gilas' home victory over Saudi Arabia in the fourth window of the qualifiers.

"Let's just support Kai, and 'yung journey na lang ni Kai is to keep growing and keep learning sa mga experience niya. I believe na isa siya sa magiging dominant players sa Asia, and even the world," he also said.

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