Brownlee shows up but Gilas still falls to Boomers

In a much-anticipated bounce-back game, Justin Brownlee delivered a commendable performance, but it wasn’t enough as Gilas Pilipinas faced a relentless challenge from visiting Australia, succumbing to a decisive 93-66 defeat in the FIBA 2027 World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, March 1.

The Nationals managed to hold their own in a competitive first half, trailing only 38-33 at the break. However, the Boomers took control in the second half, fueled by a scorching display from Elijah Pepper, who erupted for 28 points, including five three-pointers that opened the scoring floodgates for Australia, keeping their record unblemished in the qualifiers.

Brownlee found his shooting rhythm once again, contributing 20 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists, showing a marked improvement after his earlier struggles against New Zealand where he could only muster four points. Quentin Millora-Brown also shone, adding 11 points and five rebounds to the team’s efforts.

Despite the strong starts, the Nationals faltered defensively in the latter stages of the match, allowing the Australians to amass an astounding 55 points in the final 20 minutes – an output Gilas could not match, particularly in a final frame where they scored a mere 13 points due to inconsistent shooting.

On the other side of the court, the Boomers showcased their depth with three other players joining Pepper in double figures: Tanner Krebs with 18 points and Mitch Creek and Tom Wilson contributing 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Though this back-to-back loss brings Gilas’ record to 2-2, they still advanced to the second round of qualifiers, thanks to New Zealand’s earlier victory over Guam, providing a glimmer of hope as they move forward.