SEA Games: Gilas Pilipinas Men def. Indonesia, 71–68, Advances to Gold Medal Match

Asia’s No. 7 Gilas Pilipinas Men survived a late scare from Asia’s No. 19 Indonesia, 71–68, in the knockout semifinals of the men’s basketball 5x5 event at the 2025 Southeast Asian Gameson Thursday, December 18, 2025, at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Gilas battled back from a 15-27 first-quarter hole, riding a 16–7 run in the second to trim the deficit to just 1 at halftime. They came out strong in the second half, outscoring Indonesia 21–12 to close the third with an 11-point lead at 57–46.In the fourth, Gilas looked in control with a 16-point cushion at 70–54 with 3:40 remaining, but Indonesia stormed back with a 14–0 run, cutting the lead to 70–68. Robert Bolick sank 1-of-2 free throws to make it 71–68 with 7.3 seconds left. Indonesia failed to convert a three-pointer to force overtime, securing Gilas’ spot in the gold medal game.
Gilas shot 38% from the field (25-of-66), including 9-of-28 from beyond the arc. Indonesia went 22-of-55 from the floor and hit 8-of-28 from three-point range. Gilas converted 12-of-14 free throws, while Indonesia made 16-of-18. The Philippines also held slim edges in rebounding (36–35), steals (9–5), assists (15–13), and committed fewer turnovers (11–16). Thirdy Ravena set the tone for Gilas, firing 16 points on an efficient 6-of-11 clip with six rebounds, dishing out two assists, and a steal in 27 minutes of action. Jamie Malonzo delivered on both ends with 13 points, three boards, a game-high five steals, and a block, making life difficult for Indonesia’s go-to man Derrick Michael Xzavierro, who still powered his way to 22 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
Bobby Ray Parks Jr. chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds, while Robert Bolick added 10 points and six assists. Poy Erram provided inside presence with nine points, two rebounds, and one block. It took a complete team performance for Gilas to weather the storm, book a return trip to the finals, and keep their gold medal defense firmly on track.The Philippines will face Thailand in the gold medal match, scheduled for Friday, December 19, at 8:00PM.
Courtesy of: teampilipinas.info