Gilas Pilipinas face a first real test when they take on Indonesia in the semifinals of the Southeast Asian Games men's basketball.
Gilas Pilipinas turn its focus to a high-stakes semifinal showdown against Indonesia in the Southeast Asian Games on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Tip off is set at 3:00pm at Nimibutr Stadium in Thailand.
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Fresh off a sweep of Group A, Gilas booked an outright semifinals berth after opening with a win over Malaysia before grinding out a 78–67 victory against Vietnam.
That win tested the Filipinos’ resolve, as Gilas needed a massive 18–1 run bridging the second and third quarters to wrest control after a sluggish start.
Robert Bolick proved vital when it mattered most. The veteran guard took charge in the fourth period, scoring 10 of his 13 points, including the final four free throws that iced the win.
He also stuffed the stat sheet with six rebounds, four assists, and a block, steadying Gilas in crunch time.
While Poy Erram led the scoring with 15 points, supported by Matthew Wright’s 14 points on four triples and Jamie Malonzo’s 10-point outing, Bolick emphasized the value of the hard-earned result.
“Kitang kita talaga 'yung kulang 'yung practice. Iba sa'min 'di pa nakakalaro ng ilang buwan. Maganda rito character win. Sama-sama pa rin kami, binigay namin best namin and happy kami sa outcome,” Bolick said, pointing to the team’s resilience despite limited preparation.
Awaiting Gilas is an Indonesia side eager to spoil the Filipinos’ title bid, with the winner advancing to the gold medal match against either Thailand or Malaysia, which collide in the other semifinal.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]