MANILA — Amid a sea of blue and the deafening cheers of over 16,000 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena, Gilas Pilipinas achieved a historic breakthrough, defeating New Zealand, 93-89, in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Facing the Tall Blacks, ranked No. 22 in the world and unbeaten against the Philippines since 2016, the Filipinos, led by coach Tim Cone, delivered a collective effort that rewrote history.
Justin Brownlee spearheaded the charge with a stellar 26 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. Rising star Kai Sotto also shone brightly, recording 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks in his best Gilas performance yet.
The team’s relentless defense and balanced offense saw contributions from Scottie Thompson (12 points, six assists), Dwight Ramos, and Chris Newsome (11 points each), who were instrumental in limiting New Zealand’s key scorer, Corey Webster.
This victory marks the Philippines’ first-ever FIBA win against the Tall Blacks, who had dominated previous encounters, including crushing defeats in the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and Asia Cup.
Gilas now holds an unblemished 3-0 record and sits just one win away from securing a spot in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah. The team looks to seal their qualification in another home match against Hong Kong on Sunday (24 Nov 2024).
New Zealand (2-1) still has a shot at qualification if they overcome Chinese Taipei in Christchurch and Gilas handles their business against Hong Kong.
This triumph not only cements Gilas’ growing stature in international basketball but also delivers a moment of national pride, showcasing the depth and resilience of Philippine basketball on the world stage.
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