Gilas Pilipinas was given a tough test in its first match of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 after losing to Chinese Taipei, 95-87, Wednesday morning at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With the loss, the Philippines fell to a 0-1 record in Group D, while Chinese Taipei and New Zealand are at the top with one win each.
Justin Brownlee led Gilas with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, but his exit was premature after a foul out late in the game. Kevin Quiambao provided energy off the bench with 17 points (3/6 from three-point range), four rebounds, and two assists. Dwight Ramos and Scottie Thompson contributed 16 points each.
Gilas struggled due to poor defense and turnovers in the first quarter, causing them to trail after giving up 27 points to Chinese Taipei. “We didn't play well, we were in panic mode,” said Coach Tim Cone, who admitted to being disappointed and said, “We were outcoached.”
Despite trailing by as much as 17 points, Gilas managed to close the gap in the final quarter, but it was shattered when Brownlee was fouled out with four minutes left in the game. Ying-Chun Chen led Chinese Taipei with 34 points and six threes, half of their 12 three-pointers. In addition, Gilas was heavily penalized by their 26 fouls, which resulted in the opponent's 35 free throws, of which 27 were made (77.1%).
Gilas will try to make up for their loss in their next match against New Zealand on August 7, 11:00 p.m. But according to Cone, they need to forget about the loss and prepare immediately. “We only have two days to prepare,” he said. “We need to move quickly.”
