Gilas Pilipinas exits Asia Cup as hot-starting Australia coasts to semis

MANILA, Philippines, August 14 ------ Gilas Pilipinas’ bid to claim the FIBA Asia Cup throne came to a crushing end at the hands of its current owner. The Philippines got the boot from Australia as the two-time defending champions scored a dominant 84-60 win in the quarterfinals at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Seeking a giant upset, the Filipinos instead ended up on the wrong end of a stunning display of precision and mastery by a Boomers side that raced to an early lead and cruised the rest of the way. The Aussies proved why they have not lost in Asia Cup history as they made 7 of their first 8 three-point attempts to mount a commanding 24-8 lead inside the first five minutes en route to the 24-point blowout.

Jaylin Galloway and Jack McVeigh each drained a pair of treys in that sizzling start and they finished among five Australia players in double-figure scoring with 15 and 12 points, respectively. “Tournament is over for us. In the big scheme of things, we’re not pleased with what happened,” said Philippines head coach Tim Cone. “It wasn’t the performance were hoping for, that’s for sure.” he added.

Kevin Quiambao fired 17 points to go with 4 rebounds, but his efficient offensive performance that saw him go 5-of-8 from long range went for naught against the Aussies who lived up to their billing as the world No. 7. The hero in an overtime win over Saudi Arabia that sent the Filipinos to the quarterfinals, Justin Brownlee got limited to 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds as the Boomers keyed on him defensively. Brownlee attempted just 7 field goals, his lowest in a game in this Asia Cup. “I just don’t think we played all that well tonight. Got to give them the credit because they imposed their will on us,” said Cone.

This Boomers squad featured four former NBA players in McVeigh, Xavier Cooks, Will Magnay, and Jack White, and they all gave the Filipinos problems. Cooks put up 10 points and 7 rebounds, Magnay tallied 10 points and 6 rebounds, while White chimed in 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks for Australia, which extended its decades-long win streak over the Philippines.

The Aussies hold a 6-1 record against the Filipinos in FIBA play, their only loss coming in the 1974 FIBA World Championship in Puerto Rico. Owen Foxwell added 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the win that set Australia up for a semifinal clash with three-time titlist Iran, which overcame a 21-point deficit against Chinese Taipei in their quarterfinal duel. Dwight Ramos supplied 15 points and 7 rebounds for the Philippines, although he shot 7-of-22 (32%) as he struggled to get open looks against the taller Aussies. AJ Edu (8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) also had a hard time finding the bottom of the net, missing 7 of his 9 field goals for a 22% clip.

Despite the loss, Gilas Pilipinas got further in the Asia Cup this time after its early exit in the 2022 edition marked the first time it failed to reach the quarterfinals in 15 years.

The Scores

Australia 84 – Galloway 15, Foxwell 15, McVeigh 12, Cooks 10, Magnay 10, White 8, Wessels 6, Hickey 5, Bannan 2, Daniels 1, Smith 0, Henshall 0.

Philippines 60 – Quiambao 17, Ramos 15, Brownlee 10, Edu 8, Thompson 5, Tamayo 2, Aguilar 2, Malonzo 1, Newsome 0.

Quarters: 29-12, 48-28, 69-50, 84-60.

Source: rappler.com