Gilas Pilipinas has ended its 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers stint as the second-best team in Group B.
This, after the Tim Cone-mentored team fell to New Zealand, 87-70, during their group-stage clash at the Spark Arena in NZ yesterday morning (Philippine time).
The Philippines completed the qualifiers with a 4-2 record, and despite losing their last two games, they are already assured of a spot in August’s Asia Cup in Saudi.
Chris Newsome led Gilas’ comeback attempt, putting up 13 points, two assists, a steal, and a rebound.
June Mar Fajardo followed with an 11-point, five-rebound game, while Justin Brownlee followed with 10 markers, four boards and three dimes.
Down by 19 after the first three frames, Gilas showed signs of life to start the fourth and got to as close as 11, 77-66, due to a run that was ended by a Brownlee lay-in at the 6:37 mark.
Newsome then attempted a three-pointer on their next possession in hopes of cutting their disadvantage to eight, but his shot missed the bottom of the net.
The Kiwis then went on to rack up a nine-to-nothing run to re-extend their lead to 19, 85-66, and that eventually was all they needed to seal the victory and top their group at 6-1.
Earlier in the first quarter, after the Nationals kept them afloat until the 6:05 mark, 13-9, all thanks to a Brownlee deuce, NZ answered with a seven-to-nothing spurt to build a 20-9 advantage with still 4:37 left.
It ballooned to 15, 30-15, heading into the second frame, but efforts from Carl Tamayo, Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez, and Fajardo allowed Gilas to get as close as eight, 37-29.
Unfortunately, their deficit would just more than double from that point on, as New Zealand’s three-pointers powered them to a 16-to-4 surge, allowing the hosts to distance themselves by 20, 53-33, at halftime.
In addition, Gilas’ woes would extend into the second half despite getting to as near as 11, 77-66, in the fourth, and it led to them eventually losing both of their assignments in the Asia Cup’s last window.
On the other hand, NZ, which made 13 of its 33 three-pointers (39 percent), was led by Tohi Smith-Milner’s 25 points, while Corey Webster, Reuben Te Tangi, and Jordan Ngatai followed with 14, 12 and 11, respectively. (ABS-CBN News)