Okay.
I missed this by a couple of hours.
And I was hiding from all information because every time I tried to watch, New Zealand was trying to make a comeback.
But yeah, for the first time in FIBA, Gilas Pilipinas prevailed over New Zealand.
Cool.
Ever since the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 2024 Asian Games gold medal, and the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas has stepped up its game. And while I was never that much of a Chot Reyes hater, he needed to go, especially with how good Tim Cone has been.
Why are we shocked if Kai Sotto and June Mar Fajardo have Gilas value? Throughout his career, Cone has developed and transformed the likes of Greg Slaughter, Poch Juinio, Marc Pingris, and Japeth Aguilar into what they are now. EJ Feihl enjoyed his best years in the PBA under his watch; frankly, the same can be said with Prince Caperal. Since he moved to Ginebra, his bread and butter has always been two big men and Justin Brownlee headlining the three big spots, with two cat-quick quarterbacks leading them.
Brownlee was his usual self, but Scottie Thompson, Chris Newsome, and Dwight Ramos went on a tear. The trio scored 34 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and five triples. Thompson found Newsome for the dagger triple while Ramos was second behind Brownlee in minutes played.
PHILIPPINES 93 - Brownlee 26, Sotto 19, Thompson 12, Newsome 11, Ramos 11, Fajardo 6, Perez 3, Oftana 3, Tamayo 2, Aguilar 0.
NEW ZEALAND 89 - Webster 25, Vodanovich 19, Waardenburg 19, Britt 8, Le'Afa 6, Brown 5, Harris 3, Cameron 2, Harrison 2.