Scottie Thompson made a costly mistake against Jordan, but one bad play shouldn't erase the reason he remains one of Gilas Pilipinas’ most trusted players.

Thompson has never been the national team’s go-to guy simply because of his scoring. His value comes from the little things — defense, rebounding, bringing the ball up, making the extra pass, and providing the composure that comes with experience. He is often the player Gilas turns to when the game gets messy, and someone needs to do the things that don't always appear on the stat sheet.

That is why his crucial error should be viewed in context.

Even the most dependable players will have moments they would want back. What matters is whether the team still trusts them afterward. With Thompson, that trust is unlikely to disappear because of one mistake.

But there is something that Gilas can't ignore: Juan Gomez de Liaño is making deciding on minutes and roles a lot more interesting.

Gomez de Liaño has shown that he can provide something Gilas needs — confidence and scoring from the backcourt. His ability to knock down shots and create offense gives the national team another option when Thompson's strengths are more focused on defense and playmaking.

And that could be the ideal dynamic moving forward.

Thompson doesn't necessarily have to give up his role. Instead, Gilas can use him for what he does best while allowing Gomez de Liaño to take on more offensive responsibility.

One brings experience and stability. The other brings youth, energy, and scoring.

For Gilas, that's not a problem.

It's a luxury.

The real challenge for the coaching staff now is figuring out how to maximize both — because if Gomez de Liaño continues to develop, Gilas may have found another player capable of carrying a bigger load when the stakes get higher.

Scottie remains the go-to guy.

But Juan is making sure he doesn't have to be the only one.