Gilas Pilipinas is finally in the winning column of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
The Nationals have secured a spot in the knockout playoffs after they defeated Iraq, 66-57, on Saturday afternoon, August 9, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia.
The Tim Cone-coached squad will be Group D’s No. 3 seed, and they will face Group C’s second seed in the knockout round.
The victor of that matchup will advance into the quarterfinals facing Group A’s top seed.
“It was a tough one. Both teams were really desperate for a win and were both really looking to advance,” said Cone.
“Both teams played tremendously hard.”
“They hit some shots early and certainly worried us, but we were able to tie it at halftime, and we came out and rode the hot hand of Dwight,” he added.
Dwight Ramos led Gilas with 21 points and five rebounds, and this came just in time as Justin Brownlee struggled, only scoring eight markers on 3-of-12 shooting from the field with seven boards and four dimes.
A 33-33 contest at halftime, Ramos continued his stellar play in the second half, draining two timely three-pointers to give Gilas a 41-35 lead, while Brownlee followed his own trey — one that served as his first field goal of the game — and this was when the Philippines started to distance themselves.
Gilas led by as much as 18 — its biggest of the Asia Cup so far — all thanks to an 11-to-nothing charge that was built on baskets from Ramos, Brownlee, Chris Newsome, and AJ Edu.
Iraq, however, refused to ride into the sunset just like that as it got as close as seven, 57-50, following a fourth-quarter surge from Thulfiqar Hammoodi and Mohammed Al-Khafaji.
Fortunately for the Philippines, Oftana hit a timely three-pointer to restore a 10-point lead, and this was eventually enough for Gilas to fend off its counterparts and avoid a 0-3 hole.
Edu finished with nine points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks to help Gilas withstand Iraq’s late-game spurt.
Carl Tamayo and June Mar Fajardo each scored six, while Scottie Thompson had six dimes and four boards.
On the other hand, Hammoodi and Ali Ismael led Iraq with 13 points each. (ABS-CBN News)
GILAS PILIPINAS 67 — Ramos 21, Edu 9, Brownlee 8, Fajardo 6, Tamayo 6, Newsome 4, Quiambao 4, Oftana 3, Perez 3, Aguilar 2, Thompson 0.
IRAQ 57 — Hamoodi 13, Israel 13, Mayfield 12, Al-Zuhairi 8, Abdullah 5, Al-Khafaj, 4, Alibraheemi 2, Abbas 0.
Quarterscores: 12-18, 33-33, 55-40, 66-57.