Gilas Pilipinas and Australia Boomers are squaring off for the first time since the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in 2018. The two teams now battle for the first semifinal berth in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
Gilas Pilipinas face their toughest challenge yet when they battle the Australia Boomers in the FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, August 13 (PH time).
Gametime is set at 7:00 p.m. at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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The matchup marks the first meeting between the two squads since their infamous brawl during the 2018 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Philippine Arena—adding an extra layer of intrigue to an already high-pressure knockout game.
[ALSO READ: Gilas Pilipinas face Australia in FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals, 7 years after infamous brawl]
Gilas booked its quarterfinal ticket with a gritty 95-88 overtime comeback against host Saudi Arabia.
Justin Brownlee willed the Filipinos back from a 71-77 deficit in the final 93 seconds of regulation, capping his heroics with a cold-blooded three-pointer over Mazouq Allmuwallad with 3.7 seconds left to force overtime.
Kevin Quiambao then took over in the extra period, drilling two big triples and feeding AJ Edu for the dagger basket with 52 seconds left.
[ALSO READ: Kevin Quiambao embraces 'next man up' mentality to help Gilas stay alive in FIBA Asia Cup]
Quiambao finished with 17 points, three assists, and three steals, while Edu posted a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double with four assists and a block. Dwight Ramos added 13 points and 10 rebounds, helping Gilas outlast the home crowd.
Standing in their way is an Australian squad that has never lost a FIBA Asia Cup game since joining the tournament in 2017, winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2022.
[ALSO READ: AJ Edu thrilled to witness Justin Brownlee’s greatness for Gilas Pilipinas in FIBA Asia Cup]
Though the Boomers swept Group A, they showed some cracks in a slower-than-expected start against Qatar before pulling away in the second quarter.
Despite the daunting odds, Gilas head coach Tim Cone believes in his team’s chances.
“I just told the guys that we have to believe [that we can beat Australia],” Cone said. “We looked at the video and feel we’re a good matchup for them.”
With history, pride, and a semifinal berth on the line, expect Gilas to come out swinging against the world’s no. 7-ranked team in a game that could define their FIBA Asia Cup run.
[ALSO READ: Tim Cone optimistic on Gilas' chances vs Australia FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals: 'We just got to believe’]
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]