GILAS PILIPINAS lost 91-84 against Chinese Taipei in the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Thursday at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, ending their unblemished record.
The Philippine team’s current squad just can’t seem to get over the hump, as they suffer their first setback in the qualifications versus Taipei, who is led by fresh players, in a nail-biting clash.
Furthermore, the retooled Taiwanese won their first game versus Gilas in 12 years, with the last time they defeated the Filipinos 84-79 in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship group play in Manila.
Historic Basketball Victory
Taipei led by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter. However, Gilas was able to gradually reduce the deficit and even led 80-79 with 3:50 remaining, thanks to a Justin Brownlee three-pointer.
Ting-Chien Lin, on the other hand, buried another crucial three, giving the home team the lead again, 84-82. This became the determining factor because the visiting Philippine team was unable to recover.
The returning AJ Edu hit a perimeter jumper to pull the game within 84-86, but Gilas fumbled the next few possessions. Brownlee made a costly error and squandered a chance to tie the game in the last minute.
With momentum and time on their side, Taipei’s Chun Hsiang Lu delivered the knockout punch with a heartbreaking three, increasing the lead to five, 89-84, with less than 50 seconds left.
Photo Courtesy: FIBA
The Taiwanese team did not stop there; Brandon Gilbeck blasted one home run that brought the house down for the home fans in attendance.
Brownlee, as usual, had a magnificent night, scoring 39 points, dishing out eight assists, and grabbing six rebounds, but still, the national team suffered a crushing defeat.
Dwight Ramos, who had a vital turnover at the dying seconds of the game, finished with 15 points and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Edu recorded 10 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Mohammad Al Bachir Gadiaga led the hot-shooting Chinese Tapei team with 21 points, four rebounds, and two steals, while Lin added 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Huge Credit to Taipei
Given that Chinese-Taipei is competing for the final position in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, the club’s Italian head coach, Gianluca Tucci, is overjoyed to see how his team played against a team like Gilas.
“Everything we prepared for. First of all, we faced a stronger team. We were ready to compete and made a good step. I believe in my team. If you see how hard they work, they train. This win is not a surprise but is a good step forward,” said Tucci.
Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas’ head coach Tim Cone praised the rival team’s performance last night. Even emphasizing how deserving they are of the victory.
“I thought the Chinese Taipei team was very impressive. We made a couple of runs at them, hoping they would crack, but they never did. They kept their composure and kept making big shots,” said Cone.
With the loss, Gilas Pilipinas is now tied with New Zealand for the top spot, making their next meeting even more important for both teams. The Nationals will aim to rebound against the Tall Blacks on February 23.
