Starting in 2011, the Philippines has competed under the Gilas Pilipinas name in the FIBA Asia Cup. Before the 2025 edition in Jeddah, here's a summary of every Gilas campaign in the Asian Championships.
The Philippines’ journey in the FIBA Asia Cup—formerly known as the FIBA Asia Championship—has been one of resurgence, heartbreak, and transition.
From reestablishing its foothold among the continent’s elite to navigating format changes and rising competition, Gilas Pilipinas have experienced both thrilling highs and sobering setbacks.
Here’s a look back at the country’s performances from 2011 to 2022, during which the national team carried the Gilas name to Asia’s top basketball competition.
2011 – A return to the Final Four
The 2011 edition in Wuhan marked a significant turning point for the Philippines.
After years outside the medal picture, the national team—then known as Smart Gilas—stormed back into relevance by finishing fourth.
They advanced through the group stages with strong performances and fought hard in the knockout rounds, ultimately falling short of the bronze medal with a close loss to nemesis South Korea.
Though they fell short of the podium, the showing reestablished the Philippines as a serious contender in Asia.
2013 – Silver on home soil
Two years later, the tournament returned to Manila, and so did the Philippine team’s winning form.
With the home crowd behind them, Gilas Pilipinas delivered one of the most memorable runs in their modern history, anchored by the likes of Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, Marcus Douthit, and Marc Pingris.
They reached the gold medal match for the first time in three decades, securing a silver finish after falling to Iran in the final.
The silver wasn’t just symbolic—it also earned the country a long-awaited return to the FIBA World Cup.
2015 – Another final, another silver
Gilas kept its momentum going in 2015 with another deep run in the championship, held in Changsha, China.
The team once again reached the final thanks to the brilliance of Jayson Castro, this time against the host nation.
Although they came up short in the title game, missing out on the Olympics in the process, the back-to-back silver medal finishes marked one of the strongest stretches in Philippine basketball on the continental stage in recent memory.
2017 – A step back in a new era
The 2017 edition introduced major changes. The tournament was renamed the FIBA Asia Cup and expanded to include Oceania powerhouses Australia and New Zealand.
Against this revamped field, the Philippines started strong in group play, including a victory over China, but faltered in the quarterfinals.
After losing to Korea, they dropped into the classification phase and ultimately finished in seventh place.
It was a noticeable drop from their recent runner-up finishes and highlighted the increased difficulty of the new format.
2022 – A disappointing campaign
In Jakarta, the Philippines entered the 2022 Asia Cup with a young, promising lineup but struggled to find consistency.
They failed to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007, eliminated way earlier than expected.
A loss to Japan during the tournament ended a lengthy winning streak against their East Asian rivals in major Asian competitions. The campaign was widely seen as a wake-up call, marking the need for recalibration and a clearer long-term direction.
2025 - Banged up but back in action
Gilas Pilipinas will see action in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia without star center Kai Sotto, who is dealing with a torn ACL.
PBA Finals protagonists June Mar Fajardo and Calvin Oftana are also suffering through nagging injuries, but Gilas has a fit-again Justin Brownlee to lead a tight crew that has been tested since the 2023 Asia Games.
The Philippines will be in Group D of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, taking on New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, and Iraq.
—
[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]