Gilas Pilipinas bows to Australia, exits 2025 FIBA Asia Cup
Gilas Pilipinas’ quest for the FIBA Asia Cup title encountered a disheartening roadblock at the hands of its reigning champions.
The Philippines faced a formidable challenge from Australia, with the two-time defending champions delivering an authoritative 84-60 victory in the quarterfinals at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, August 13.
Hoping to pull off a monumental upset, the Filipinos found themselves overshadowed by a dazzling display of skill and coordination from the Boomers, who surged ahead early and maintained a comfortable lead throughout the match.
The Australians illustrated exactly why they have yet to lose in Asia Cup history, scorching the nets with 7 of their first 8 three-point attempts to jump to a commanding 24-8 advantage within the opening five minutes, paving the way for a convincing 24-point rout.
Jaylin Galloway and Jack McVeigh each sank a pair of three-pointers during that blistering start, finishing the game with 15 and 12 points, respectively, as part of a balanced offensive effort by Australia, which boasted five players in double figures.
“The tournament is over for us. In the grand scheme, we’re not satisfied with how it turned out,” lamented Philippine head coach Tim Cone. “It certainly wasn’t the performance we were hoping for.”
Kevin Quiambao led the way for the Filipinos with 17 points and 4 rebounds, demonstrating his shooting prowess by hitting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, but it proved insufficient against the formidable Australians, who lived up to their status as the world’s number 7 team.
Justin Brownlee, who played a pivotal role in the overtime victory against Saudi Arabia that secured the Filipinos’ quarterfinal berth, was limited to just 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, as the Boomers focused their defensive efforts on neutralizing him. Brownlee attempted only 7 field goals, marking his lowest output in this Asia Cup.
“I just don’t think we played particularly well tonight. We have to give them credit; they imposed their will on us,” Cone acknowledged.
This Australian team featured four former NBA players, including McVeigh, Xavier Cooks, Will Magnay, and Jack White, all of whom posed significant challenges for the Filipinos. Cooks contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds, while Magnay and White added 10 points and 6 rebounds, and 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, respectively, helping Australia extend its long-standing dominance over the Philippines.
The Australians now hold a 6-1 record against the Philippines in FIBA competitions, their sole defeat occurring during the 1974 FIBA World Championship in Puerto Rico.
Owen Foxwell also made a notable contribution with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, setting the stage for Australia’s semifinal face-off against three-time titlist Iran, who orchestrated a remarkable comeback from a 21-point deficit to defeat Chinese Taipei in their quarterfinal clash.
Dwight Ramos added 15 points and 7 rebounds for the Philippines but struggled, shooting just 7-of-22 (32%) as he found it difficult to create open looks against the taller Australian defenders.
AJ Edu, with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists, also faced challenges, managing only 2 of his 9 field goal attempts for a 22% success rate.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Gilas Pilipinas advanced further in this year’s Asia Cup compared to their early exit in the 2022 edition, which marked the first time they did not reach the quarterfinals in the past 15 years.
Kevin Quiambao’s clutch performances in overtime propelled Gilas Pilipinas past Saudi Arabia, ensuring they survived to face defending champion Australia in the quarterfinals.
Post-game, Quiambao remained optimistic after the heavy loss, calling it a “great learning experience” for the team.
In their tournament opener, Justin Brownlee fouled out with over four minutes remaining, as Gilas Pilipinas fell short in a spirited fourth-quarter effort against Chinese Taipei, which had been ignited by Quiambao’s impressive run.
