Gilas drops 2nd straight game as comeback vs. New Zealand falls short

Gilas Pilipinas has dug itself in a bigger hole in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup after its comeback bid fell short. The Nationals dropped their second straight game after it faltered against the hot-shooting New Zealand, 94-86, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, early Friday morning. The Tim Cone-mentored squad is now 0-2 in Group D, and it now needs to defeat Iraq on Saturday, August 9, at 4:00 p.m., to advance to the quarterfinals. Justin Brownlee (197-F-1988, college: St.John's) had a game-high 37-point outing with five points and three assists, while Dwight Ramos (193-G-1998, college: CPP) finished with 19 — most of which came in their second-half charge. The Philippines showed promising signs after the first period as they were only trailing by five, but it was in the second frame when the Tall Blacks flexed their form from inside and out. In a blistering second quarter performance, the Tall Blacks shot 9-of-15 from three-point range and took advantage of Gilas in the paint, converting 55% of their two-point field goals. New Zealand would lead by as many as 18 points. Gilas managed to cut their deficit to a single possession later on, 85-82, all thanks to Ramos finding his groove in the third period as well as Brownlee’s heroics, but the Tall Blacks rediscovered their footing just in time to fend off the Filipinos. Taylor Britt (188-G-1996, college: Southeast CC) made two straight baskets just as when Gilas was knocking on their door, the latter being a tough lay-in off a costly Ramos turnover, while Tohi Smith-Milner (205-F-1995, college: Polk State CC) split at the foul line with only 1:23 left in the game extended NZ’s cushion to eight, 90-82, and eventually won the Tall Blacks the game.
Courtesy of: abs-cbn.com