JUSTIN BROWNLEE saved the day as Gilas Pilipinas earned a come-from-behind victory over China on Wednesday, 77-76, to return to the Asian Games gold medal match for the first time since 1990.
Largely thanks to Brownlee, who led Gilas with 33 points, the Philippines will finally return to the Asian Games basketball finals after 33 years. The country now has a chance to capture its first Asian Games gold medal since 1962.
The national team last competed for a gold medal game in the Beijing Asian Games in 1990, when the first all-pro national squad took home a silver medal.
China dominated the early phases of the game, finishing the first half with a commanding 48-30 lead. They were able to limit Gilas to only 13 points in the second quarter while scoring a whopping 29 points themselves.
Brownlee had only six points in the first half, then took charge and willed the national team back into the game, erasing China’s 20-point lead.
17 of Brownlee’s points came in the fourth period. His back-to-back triples in the final minute sparked Gilas’ 10-0 run that sealed the massive victory.
Brownlee was followed by Scottie Thompson, who finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. San Miguel Beermen teammates CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo each scored eight points in the thrilling triumph.
China’s Rui Zhao finished with 18 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, while Hu Mingxuan, Zhu Junlong and Wang Zhelin each had 10 points.
Gilas Pilipinas will face Jordan led by American-Jordanian player, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, again in the finals, while China will face Chinese Taipei for the bronze medal match on Friday.
The national team is hoping to avenge Jordan’s 25-point humiliation of Gilas Pilipinas, the only setback they suffered during the Asian Games.
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