MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas suffered a tough 75-54 defeat at the hands of Lebanon in the Doha International Cup early Sunday (PH time) at the QU Sports and Events Center in Qatar.
Despite missing key players Wael Arakji and Omari Spellman, Lebanon leaned on their defensive intensity to dismantle the Filipinos. Gilas held a 46-40 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter, but Lebanon responded with an 11-2 run to end the period ahead, 51-48. The Lebanese squad then dominated the final frame, outscoring Gilas 24-6 to seal the win.
Gilas struggled offensively, shooting just 30% from the field, including a poor 4-of-26 from beyond the arc, while committing 19 turnovers. Gerard Hadidian and Jad Khalil led Lebanon with 18 points each.
Justin Brownlee was the lone bright spot for Gilas, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and an assist. The loss dropped the Philippines to a 1-1 record, tying Lebanon in the standings after failing to build on their 74-71 comeback win over host Qatar.
Gilas will wrap up its campaign against Egypt, which routed Qatar 83-54. A win against Egypt and a Lebanon loss to Qatar would still keep Gilas in the hunt for the tournament title. However, if Lebanon wins, the Philippines would need to beat Egypt by at least 31 points to top the standings.
The Doha International Cup serves as a warm-up for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers set later this month.
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