Gilas Men’s 3x3 will have to settle for a shot at bronze against Malaysia following a heartbreaking semifinal loss to Singapore in the SEA Games Thailand 2025.
For the second straight time, the Philippines will not claim the gold in men’s 3x3 basketball in the SEA Games.
Gilas Men suffered a heartbreaking 20-21 semifinal loss to Singapore, relegating them to the bronze medal game at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand Thursday, Dec. 11.
After finishing group play unbeaten, the Nationals were on the wrong side of a major tournament upset and will no longer have a chance to complete their redemption story.
Leading 10-8, Singapore went on a 5-0 run, capped by a basket from Nur Aufa Bin Emil Putra, to seize a 13-10 lead.
Gilas fought back to tie the count at 17-all, but a clutch three-pointer from Xu Duanyang gave its foe the edge anew at 19-17 with less than three minutes left.
Refusing to fold, Gilas Men rallied again for another standoff at 20-all, thanks to a basket from Ange Kouame.
They even had a chance to win, but Joseph Sedurifa’s shot rimmed out, setting the stage for Liam Blankley’s game-winning drive for the Singaporeans.
The victory sends Singapore to its first-ever men’s 3x3 basketball final, where it will face host Thailand.
Meanwhile, Gilas Men will face Malaysia — a team they defeated earlier in the preliminaries — in the bronze medal match at 6:45 p.m.
—
Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.