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- Gilas Pilipinas battles a familiar foe in Australia in a knockout quarterfinal game in 2025 Fiba Asia Cup on Wednesday, August 13.
- This the first meeting between the two teams since the infamous 2018 brawl that happened during a World Cup qualifying game.
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone during a game against Australia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –FIBA PHOTO
Coach Tim Cone conceded that Gilas Pilipinas had no answer for the way Australia played in their lopsided quarterfinal match that ended their campaign in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup.
Gilas went down, 84-60, on Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after the Boomers raced to a massive lead thanks to their outside shooting that left Cone lamenting on what the team could have done better.
“The tournament’s over for us and in the big scheme of things, we’re not pleased with what happened,” Cone said during the postgame press conference. “This is a great team to be around and I’m proud and honored to be on this team and with the guys. But tonight was not a good performance for us.”
Gilas Pilipinas’ Kevin Quiambao during a game against Australia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas’ final stand in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup was headlined by one of the youngest members of the team.
The Philippines bowed out of the continental competition at the hands of Australia 84-60, but not without a fight from rising star Kevin Quiambao.
He struggled at times to get to his spots, but still stood out despite the Boomers’ stifling defense.
Gilas Pilipinas’ Dwight Ramos during a game against Australia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –FIBA BASKETBALL
MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas guard Dwight Ramos was in no mood to sulk after the Filipinos’ exit in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup on Wednesday.
Instead, the sharpshooting guard is looking ahead for what’s next for the Philippines before they even pack their bags and depart Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“It’ll come in time. We’re just trying to get comfortable with each other and the system and we’ll see them again in February,” said Ramos after their 84-60 loss to the Boomers on Wednesday night, local time.
Gilas Pilipinas against Australia during the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup quarterfinals. –FIBA PHOTO
Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup came to an end after being battered by Australia, 84-60, in their quarterfinal match on Wednesday at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Philippines didn’t have answers to Australia’s torrid shooting to start the game, which set the tone for the lopsided outing that wrapped up what was a rollercoaster for the boys of coach Tim Cone.
Australia connected on seven of its 11 triples in the first quarter from a 29-12 lead that Gilas never recovered from.
LIVE UPDATES: Gilas Pilipinas vs Australia
- FINAL: Gilas Pilipinas bows out of the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup after losing to defending champion Australia, 84-60.
- Australians continue to pile on to their lead, 81-56, with Owen Foxwell leading the run. 3:11 left to play.
- Owen Foxwell with a floater to push Australia back up to 77-55. 4:36 to play.
- AJ Edu makes two freethrows. Gilas Pilipinas down 75-55.
- What a night for Kevin Quiambao as he hits another 3! He has 5 3s for team leading 17 points. Australia 71, Gilas Pilipinas 53.
- END OF THIRD QUARTER: Gilas Pilipinas picks up steam but still down 69-50 vs Australia.
- Jack White with a 3. Scottie Thompson answers with a layup. Gilas still down by 20, 66-46.
- Japeth Aguilar with a midrange jumper. Australia 63, Gilas Pilipinas 44.
- Scottie Thompson for 3! Australia still up big, 61-42, but Gilas Pilipinas gaining momentum.
- Back to back baskets from Dwight Ramos and Justin Brownlee! Gilas Pilipinas trying to chip away at Australia’s lead, 61-39.
- Australia continues its 3-point onslaught as Owen Foxwell joins the party with two straight. 56-35 lead for the Aussies.
- Second half underway. AJ Edu opens the scoring with a floater and the freebie. Gilas staring at a 48-31 deficit.
- Kevin Quiambao leads Gilas Pilipina scores with 11. Justin Brownlee has 8 while Dwight Ramos has 7.
- END OF SECOND QUARTER: Australia up big, 48-28, over Gilas Pilipinas.
- But Kevin Quiambao is heating up with his third 3 for the Philippines. 41-25 deficit for Gilas.
- The Australians have opened a 41-22 lead over Gilas Pilipinas, their biggest lead so far.
- Kevin Quiambao with his second 3 of the game! Gilas trims Australia lead to 35-22.
- William Hickey with a slam! Australia stretches its lead to 35-19, 7:54 2Q
- Kevin Quiambao from the left corner with a 3! Gilas Pilipinas still trails 31-17 9:15 2Q
- Carl Tamayo with a mid-range jumper. Australia 29, Gilas Pilipinas 14.
- END OF FIRST QUARTER: Australia 29, Gilas Pilipinas 12.
- Justin Brownlee troops to the line and makes both. Gilas Pilipinas trails 24-12.
- Kevin Quiambao with instant offense for Gilas Pilipinas. He cuts Australia’s lead to 24-10.
- Australians with already with 7 threes five minutes into the game for a 22-8 advantage vs the Filipinos.
- Dwight Ramos ends the scoring drought for Gilas with a floater. Gilas Pilipinas behind 16-6. 5:46 1Q.
- Jack McVeigh with a transition 3 to pad Australian’s lead to 16-4.
- Jaylin Galloway knocks down another 3. Insane shooting this early. Australia leads 13-4, 6:20 1Q.
- Another 3 from Australia courtesy of Jaylin Galloway. Scorching hot start for a 9-4 lead.
- Justin Brownlee opens the scoring for the Philippines with a four-point play! Gilas Pilipinas trails 6-4, 8:47 1Q.
- Back to back 3s from Australia to open the game against Gilas Pilipinas with only a minute into the game. 6-0 lead for the Aussies.
- First possession goes to Australia and it opens with a top of the key 3 from Jaylin Galloway.
- Gilas Pilipinas Starting 5 vs Australia: Scottie Thompson, June Mar Fajardo, Dwight Ramos, Justine Brownlee and AJ Edu.
The road to glory gets narrower 🛣️
FIBA #AsiaCup 2025 Quarter Finals are set, who’s moving to the next stage? 👀
Watch the games live on Courtside 1891 📺 Link in Bio 🔗 pic.twitter.com/W5I5XyuuqH
— FIBA Asia Cup (@FIBAAsiaCup) August 12, 2025
August 13, Wednesday
- 7 pm – Gilas Pilipinas vs Australia
Screenshot of CJ Perez’s Instagram repost
MANILA, Philippines—Sidelined with an ankle injury, Gilas Pilipinas forward Calvin Oftana can only do so much for the Philippine squad.
For one, he can support the squad from the sidelines. For another, he can help lift the team’s chemistry and morale. He’s doing that second task in the most witty and lighthearted way possible.
CJ Perez, who joined Oftana on Gilas’ injured-reserve list after getting hurt against Saudi Arabia, became the brunt of Oftana’s joke ahead of the team’s quarterfinal clash with Australia.
Gilas Pilipinas celebrate its win over Saudi Arabia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Dropping its first two games left Gilas Pilipinas with no other choice but to face Australia earlier than it had hoped for after its dramatic entry into the quarterfinals of the Fiba Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
But if there’s anything coach Tim Cone learned from his team in the two games that followed defeats at the hands of Chinese-Taipei and New Zealand was that Gilas always finds ways to get the results they need.
“[Australia] is pretty much the No. 1 seed in the tournament, and for us to beat them it would be an upset,” Cone said as Gilas tries to do the unthinkable on Wednesday at a much-friendlier start for fans back home: 7 p.m. Philippine time.
Gilas Pilipinas forward Kevin Quiambao celebrates after hitting a big 3-pointer against Saudi Arabia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup qualification quarterfinals.–FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—With Gilas Pilipinas down two men in a must-win, Kevin Quiambao provided the shot in the arm to escape host Saudi Arabia in overtime and reach the Fiba Asia Cup quarterfinals.
The youngest on the squad, Quiambao played like a wily veteran, delivering big shots and making timely plays.
“We just played the next man up,” said Quiambao in Filipino after Gilas’ 95-88 victory. “We lost two players but we trusted coach Tim’s system and everyone who believed in us.”
Gilas Pilipinas big man AJ Edu celebrates during an overtime win over Saudi Arabia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup qualification quarterfinals.–FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Ever since his poor showing against New Zealand in the Fiba Asia Cup group stage, Gilas Pilipinas’ defensive anchor AJ Edu shifted to a whole other gear and never looked back.
Following a solid game against Iraq to help Gilas stay alive in the continental competition, Edu doubled down and turned in another stellar performance to help the Philippines reach the quarterfinals.
“I have to give credit to coach because I was losing confidence there, missing shots and layups. I have to do better than that but they kept encouraging me,” said the Cypriot-born big man after Gilas’ 95-88 overtime win over host Saudi Arabia.
Gilas Pilipinas in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –FIBA PHOTO
Gilas Pilipinas will meet Australia for the first time since the two teams figured in a massive brawl seven years ago after setting up a quarterfinal showdown in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup following its hard-fought overtime victory over host Saudi Arabia.
Their game is set Wednesday at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City as the two teams will look to focus on getting a spot in the semis rather than dwell on the things that transpired during a World Cup Asian Qualifiers contest in July 2018 at Philippine Arena. that turned too ugly.
Several Gilas players engaged in a fistfight with their Aussie counterparts during the third quarter, resulting in ejections. The game ended abruptly due to lack of players on the floor and severe sanctions handed by Fiba.
Gilas Pilipinas’ CJ Perez suffers an ankle injury during a game against Saudi Arabia in the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup. –FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas wasn’t all smiles after successfully advancing to the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup quarterfinals with another man down.
Following their triumphant 95-88 win over Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Gilas coach Tim Cone revealed that CJ Perez was rushed to the hospital with an apparent ankle injury.
“The only bad part of all this is the injury to CJ. Looks like it’s a bad injury,” said Cone. “He’s in the hospital now. We don’t know the extent of it, but it didn’t look good.”
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