Gilas takes on Boomers with same 12-man roster

Gilas Pilipinas aims to regain its momentum in the Asian qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup as they face a daunting challenge against powerhouse Australia. This pivotal matchup marks the conclusion of window two on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Nationals will field the same 12-man roster when they clash with the unbeaten Boomers at 7:30 p.m., just three days after suffering a narrow 69-66 defeat to the New Zealand Tall Blacks in the same venue in Pasay.

This first loss in three outings dashed the Filipinos’ hopes of securing an outright spot in the tournament’s second round.

Now, Gilas faces the formidable task of overcoming the 3-0 Boomers to progress to the next stage.

Australia has already secured the first of three berths allocated for Group A, following their convincing 93-80 victory over Jericho Cruz and Guam (0-3) on Thursday in Mangilao.

Beyond advancing to the next round, Gilas is also eager to lay to rest the memories of 2018, when the Philippines last hosted Australia during the World Cup qualifiers.

The game attracted global attention when a fierce altercation erupted in the third quarter at the Philippine Arena, with Australia leading 79-48 at the time.

When the dust settled, 13 players were ejected, including nine from the Philippines, resulting in an automatic loss for the Nationals.

This match represents the first encounter between both countries since that notorious brawl.

However, Gilas is determined to confront the ghosts of that incident from seven years ago against Australia, as well as the recent setback against New Zealand, with a focused and resilient mindset.