Facing a tall order in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas prevailed over New Zealand for the first time in history.
The Tall Blacks curse has officially been broken.
In front of a passionate home crowd in the Mall of Asia Arena, Gilas Pilipinas defeated visitors New Zealand, 93-89, in the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. This marks the Philippines’ first-ever victory over New Zealand.
The Tall Blacks put the Filipino hoopers to the test on Thursday night with their physicality, but it was the home team that prevailed thanks to their chemistry on the court. Retaining the same squad as the Olympic Qualifying Tournament earlier this year, Head Coach Tim Cone emphasized the importance of keeping a close-knit squad in these small windows.
“We really worked hard, you know, in terms of preparation. And, you know, coming into this game, we just wanted to bring our A game because we know how good New Zealand is. And we really respect them as a team,” Cone shared after the win.
Justin Brownlee — whose performance was going to be put into question after a disappointing run in the recent PBA Governors’ Cup Final and with Cone alluding to fatigue after a long conference — was Gilas’ most productive player of the game, dropping a game-high 26 points.
Kai Sotto, who has been a mainstay on the Philippines’ squad since 2021, recorded 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two blocks, and was a huge factor in their victory tonight.
With this historic, the Philippines remains undefeated in the tournament to retain their top spot in Group B with four wins.
History, as it happened
New Zealand took the lead early, scoring the first three baskets of the game. However, it didn’t take long for the Philippine side to fire back, as they started to heat up as the first quarter went on. Not letting New Zealand out of reach, the Philippines went on a 9-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back shots by Kai Sotto, with just over three minutes left in the first to claim their first lead of the match, 20-18.
The Tall Blacks answered back to reclaim the lead early in the second, stretching their lead to 31-26 halfway through. But the momentum quickly shifted when Scottie Thompson commanded the court with three consecutive baskets that brought Gilas back in front, 35-31.
Both teams continued to take turns at the basket and entered halftime leveled with 45 points apiece.
It was in the third quarter when Gilas Pilipinas truly took control of the match. More than halfway through, Chris Newsome fired a two-point shot off an offensive rebound that sparked a huge 16-0 run that highlighted the Philippine side’s chemistry on both sides of the court, as they limited the Tall Blacks to unproductive possessions.
New Zealand remained scoreless for over three minutes until Corey Webster shot a three to close the third quarter behind the Philippines, 72-63.
It was home stretch in the fourth quarter as both sides continued to exchange baskets. The visitors remained within striking distance and even cut the lead back down to two points when former PBA import Thomas Vodanovich shot a huge three-pointer to bring the scoreline to 84-82 with over three minutes left to play.
The tensions ran high as the fans chanted, “Defense!” to rock MOA Arena. Gilas, it seemed, took their order to heart, as they safeguarded their lead, even as the Tall Blacks continued their attempts to cut it down.
Two free throws granted to Justin Brownlee with 11.1 seconds left on the clock were the final dagger. Sinking both, and sending the Filipino fans into a frenzy in the stands, the Philippines went on to close out the game with a four-point lead to defeat New Zealand, 93-89.
Gilas Pilipinas celebrated on the court, relishing the moment they captured their first-ever win over New Zealand.
With this result, the Philippines has a shot at qualifying for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup come Sunday evening. Should they pull off a sweep with a win over Hong Kong, their next assignment, they will be able to book their early tickets to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia.
What worked for Gilas?
New Zealand put Gilas Pilipinas to the test on their home court tonight. Although the home team’s defense limited the visiting side in the paint, as they only scored 14 out of 31 two-point shots, it was raining threes for the Tall Blacks.
More productive beyond the arc, going 18 out of 35, it was the three-pointers that kept New Zealand always within striking distance of the Philippines.
“That’s incredible shooting. And so we’ve got to tip our cap to them. And despite the incredible shooting, we were still able to win the game,” Cone acknowledged after the game.
Indeed, Gilas still managed to win despite the consistent threes from their opponents. The X-factor tonight? They won the battle in the paint.
Despite the physicality of New Zealand’s defense, Gilas Pilipinas were up to the challenge of driving into the paint, drawing fouls, and converting the offensive rebounds. In fact, the Philippines grabbed 16 offensive rebounds in total to New Zealand’s eight.
“We have a guy who’s six-foot-eleven. And, you know, the power guy. So, yeah, our intention is to play from inside to out and take advantage of those guys…And, you know, when June Mar [Fajardo] and Kai were on the floor together, Kai was able to get some stuff inside because of their height,” Cone elaborated, highlighting the chemistry between his two centers.
Despite giving up 18 three-pointers, the Gilas men still brought on a formidable defense that pushed New Zealand to scoreless possessions, such as when the home team went on a 16-0 run in the third.
“But every time they missed, we cleaned the rebound up. We didn’t give them second chances. And we were able to get down on the floor and do something closer to the rim,” Cone added.
It was a team effort from the Gilas front tonight. Coach Tim Cone credited all his players after the win. Kai’s all-around abilities, June Mar Fajardo’s guarding of New Zealand’s center, Scottie Thompson’s rebounding and playmaking, Dwight Ramos’ assists — every player used their minutes productively.
“You know, these guys, I’ll be honest, they’re not making big money doing this. You know, they’re coming here basically on, it’s not even, it’s a small little portion of the salaries they make in their home teams, what they’re making here. So they’re coming in here with their hearts more than their pockets,” he praised.
“I’m just happy we got the win. And hopefully, we get another one on Sunday against Hong Kong.”
Banner image from FIBA.