Gilas pilipinas in the fiba asia cup 2025. –Fiba photo
After finally obtaining his first victory at FIBA Asia Cup at the expense of Iraq on Saturday, coach Tim Cone declared the preparation of his team to manage the difficult situation he has to face in order to achieve the ultimate goal.
“We have chosen a more difficult route, but we are ready to accept this challenge,” said CONE after the victory of Gilas 66-57 which prevented an early shock outing while advancing in a qualification match for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition which will be held in Djeddah, in Saudi Arabia.
Dwight Ramos made key strokes when it counted, and a collective defensive effort from the third quarter allowed the Philippines to detach themselves from an obstinate Iraqi determination.
And the victory that escaped the cone and the company against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand finally came.
The victory obtained third place in Gilas in group D at 1-2 and a confrontation against the second place team of group C, which could be host of Saudi Arabia or Jordan.
This was determined at the time of the press with Saudi Arabia against India and in Jordan, the leader of the C China group. Saudi Arabia, however, just needs a victory to organize a battle with Gilas on Monday.
Read: Gilas Pilipinas pushes Iraq, is shot on the quarter -finals of the berth
Saudi Arabia and Jordan entered the day with identical 1-1 slates, the first holding the edge of the equality break after winning their playing, 77-73.
Pending in the quarterfinals, the best team of group A, which could probably be Australia after winning two victories in two games, the most recent being the triumph of 93-80 Friday in Lebanon.
Ramos collected 21 points, 10 of which arrived in the third when Gilas finally obtained a firm hold on the competition which seemed to be another struggle after Iraq took a pair of six points in the first quarter.
His consecutive triples and another by Justin Brownlee, one of the few conversions he made in an afternoon also cold in King Abdullah Sports City, gave Gilas an advance of 44-35, which the Philippins mounted on the way to stay in the running.
The defense, which Cone harassed in front of the Asian Cup, finally came to life during this period, forcing Iraq to reversals which put Gilas in a dominant advance.
AJ Edu was one of the anchors of this position, obtaining three interceptions and blocking two shots outside of his nine points and seven rebounds for Gilas.
Iraq tried to set up a rally, reducing a deficit of 55-40 at the end of the third to seven in fourth, but Gilas was finally able to move away.
“There was a lot of despair in this basketball match,” said CONE while Iraq also entered the competition which requires a victory to guarantee the place of qualification. He left the tournament on a 0-3 file.
“I thought they hit a few shots at the start of the match and jumped on it, we were certainly worried,” added Cone, who saw Gilas finally gather to go in the break on a 33 -year equality. “But we were able to have equality at half-time and came out and went up on the hot hand of Dwight and that put us in mind.
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“It was a big victory for us. Any victory at this stadium is a big victory, just to revive our confidence a little.”
