THERE was no better way to wrap up the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup buildup than Gilas Pilipinas storming back from a massive 21-point halftime deficit to take down the Macau Black Bears, 103-98, on Monday.
With a fired-up crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum behind them, Justin Brownlee took charge, delivering in the clutch repeatedly to steer the national team to a hard-earned victory.
Despite staying active and playing in various competitions since the Asia Cup Qualifiers, the squad showed signs of rust early on, as evident in the lack of chemistry during the opening half.
Macau caught fire early and built a commanding 63-46 halftime advantage. At one point in the second quarter, Gilas trailed by as many as 21, 56-35, before coming out with renewed energy after the break.
Thanks to suffocating defense, Gilas trimmed the deficit to just two entering the fourth, eventually grabbing their first lead at 84-83, courtesy of a clutch corner triple from Brownlee.
The naturalized Filipino continued to stay hot, draining two more three-pointers before Kevin Quiambao capped a huge run with a three-point play, pushing the lead to 93-85. But Macau rallied again, slicing the gap to just one and threatening to steal the game late.
As expected, Brownlee answered the call, drilling a pivotal three with 1:41 left, and AJ Edu sealed the deal with a monster slam to close out the game.
“They surprised us with their ability to shoot the ball. We didn’t know their players. We’ve never seen any of them really before so it was a shock that they could come out and go 12-of-17 from the three-point line in the first half,” head coach Tim Cone said.
“But give credit to the guys. They made a decision at halftime that they are going to come out and defend.”
“We gave up 18 points in the third quarter, and low 20s in the fourth. Like I said, we are going to make some nice plays, nice three-point shots… but what is going to win it for us is our defense,” he added.
Coming back from a thumb injury he suffered during the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, Brownlee marked his return with a dominant double-double performance—tallying 32 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists.
Dwight Ramos chipped in 19 points, six assists, and four rebounds, while Edu contributed 15 points, three boards, and two assists. Quiambao and Scottie Thompson also made their presence felt with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Gilas now shifts focus to their upcoming matchups: Chinese Taipei on August 6, New Zealand on August 7, and Iraq on August 9. Before the official start of the Asia Cup, they’ll also play a tune-up game against Jordan on August 2.
