Gilas Pilipinas strengthened their bid to make the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup with a dominant 93-54 win over Hong Kong, staying unbeaten across four games so far.
The team can now qualify in this window should New Zealand beat Chinese Taipei on Monday. Regardless of the outcome, Philippines will have another opportunity to secure their spot in the next window, although they will face face challenging road games against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.
The game was competitive in the first half, with Gilas holding a modest ten-point lead. However, a decisive 22-8 third-quarter run allowed Philippines to pull away for good. Their relentless defensive pressure suffocated Hong Kong's offense, forcing turnovers and difficult shots.
Here, we assess how they dominated the match with their new found lineup proficiency and its youth movement.
Gilas' big men lord the paint
In years prior, a Filipino led squad has always been reliant on its players' tenacity and quickness -- since they would be the smaller team on most occasions.
But for this iteration, Gilas boasts multiple interior bigs capable of outmuscling the opposition -- especially within Asia.
This was evident throughout the game as both Kai Sotto and June Mar Fajardo set the tone for Gilas' offense -- capitalizing on their ability to seal off their defenders inside the shaded area. It became the main source of offense by the team, as these two big men combined for 26 points and 23 rebounds.
Their dominance in the paint also allowed Gilas to control the tempo, making it difficult for Hong Kong to establish any rhythm.
It was also utter domination as a team overall, as Gilas outscored Hong Kong 50-18 in terms of points in the paint and a whopping 26-4 advantage on second chance points.
"When you have twin towers in Kai and June Mar, it's just going to be tough," said Hong Kong's Duncan Reid, emphasizing the challenge of defending Gilas' towering frontcourt.
"We did our best, but at times, there's just not as much we can do."
Young studs showed up for Gilas
After facing -- and beating -- a strong New Zealand squad on Thursday, it was now time for Gilas' young stars to step up against Hong Kong.
With a tight rotation and injuries to key players like Dwight Ramos, Calvin Oftana, and even Justin Brownlee, it became imperative for the younger talents to deliver and provide much-needed support to the team's ailing roster.
Indeed, Carl Tamayo made sure to deliver when the opportunity arose, as he led the team in scoring with 18 points on 60 TS%. He displayed his full arsenal on offense with face up jumpers at the post, bully ball inside the paint, and even stretched out from rainbow country where he converted two triples in this game.
"Our veterans always talk to us to be confident every time we step on the floor. We had the chance to play, but we try to put our talent on the system of coach Tim [Cone]," was Tamayo's response on how he approaches being part of Gilas.
Two collegiate players included in the roster, Kevin Quiambao and Mason Amos, also contributed, scoring eight and three points, respectively.
Their involvement highlights the importance of developing the next generation of players to ensure the team's sustained competitiveness. Cone has been vocal about his approach to mentoring these young talents, emphasizing the need for teamwork and discipline.
"This is not an all-star team and we're not out there to showcase our individual skills. We got to come together as a team, and sometimes, it takes hard coaching," Cone said, underlining the value of building team chemistry over individual brilliance.
His tough-love coaching style has focused on instilling a sense of accountability among the players, helping them grow not just as athletes but as a cohesive unit ready for high-pressure situations.
As Gilas aims to build on their progress from this window and prepare for the Asia Cup which they will almost certainly qualify for now, the development and experience gained by their younger players will be crucial in strengthening the team's depth and ensuring sustained competitiveness on the international stage.