Gilas battles Australia in FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals

Sports

GILAS Pilipinas will be playing a third straight do-or-die match. Good news for its supporters, the all important duel will not be played in the wee hours of the day.

The Nationals will take on the undefeated Australia in the quarterfinal round of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup on Wednesday night (Philippine time), August 13, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Unlike in its previous matches, Gilas’ duel with the two-time defending champion Australia is scheduled earlier than usual as tip-off is scheduled at 7 p.m.

Gilas stayed in contention by surviving two do-or-die matches. It first defeated Iraq, 66-57, in its final assignment in the group stage then escaped home team Saudi Arabia, 95-88, in their qualification match to the quarterfinal round last Tuesday.

The prize of surviving two do-or-die matches is a daunting task as Gilas will be taking an Australian team that swept its group stage assignment, winning all of its three assignments by an average of 25.6 points.

Australia is actually undefeated since it joined the quadrennial meet, parading a menacing 15-0 record.

In the two teams’ head-to-head matchup, the Boomers have won five of their last six meetings—the last one was to the tune of an 85-53 rout in a match that saw the two squads figure in an infamous “basketbrawl” at the Philippine Arena last July 2018.

The Philippines’ last win against Australia came way back in 1974 when the Nationals, led by Sonny Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez, nosed out Australians, 101-100.

As if going up against a stacked roster of Australia is not enough, Gilas will also have to deal with manpower woes as they will be without injured key cogs Calvin Oftana and CJ Perez.

Without Oftana and Perez, Gilas will have to rely more on Justin Brownlee, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Chris Newsome, June Mar Fajardo, and Carl Tamayo.

Australia has four players averaging in double figures in the tournament with Jaylin Galloway leading the charge with 18 points per game.(CCM)