Tag: Gilas

Newsome’s great Meralco play spills over to Gilas in Riga

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Chris Newsome–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

PBA Philippine Cup champion Meralco could not be any prouder of the way Chris Newsome performed for Gilas Pilipinas in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

And the Bolts can only look forward to how Newsome will carry himself when he resumes club duties in the next month for the season-opening Governors’ Cup, granting he does re-sign with Meralco.

“We are very proud of New,” coach Luigi Trillo told the Inquirer after Newsome and Gilas’ Cinderella run came to an end with a semifinal loss to Brazil in the Latvia side of the Paris Olympics qualifier.

Newsome came into the OQT on a high after his baseline jumper in Game 6 of the Philippine Cup Finals propelled Meralco to its first-ever PBA championship at the expense of San Miguel Beer and Gilas teammates June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez.

The PBA Press Corps Finals MVP averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in three games in the OQT, where Gilas defeated host Latvia to eventually seal a semis berth despite a narrow loss to Georgia.

In two matches of group play, Newsome posted 10 points and four rebounds against Latvia and 13 points, four rebounds and six assists opposite Georgia.

He had five points, two rebounds, one assist and three steals in the semis against Brazil, but Gilas sputtered with just six points in the third quarter which contributed heavily to the 71-60 loss that crushed the Philippines’ bid for a first Olympic berth since 1972.

“He is a very big part of why our Gilas team did well,” said Trillo, who pointed out that Newsome “really is a leader.

“He is the vocal leader to all the players there. That guy is selfless, knows how to play the right way and is character all around,” said Trillo as the team and Newsome will finalize details of a new pact when he returns.

Gold in Asiad

Newsome belongs to a batch of players that can negotiate with other teams freely, but Al Panlilio, the former Meralco PBA board representative and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president who was with the team in Riga, said “I hope he does,” when the Inquirer asked if their prized guard will stay.

Newsome’s run of form began late last year when he played a key part for coach Tim Cone in Gilas’ successful conquest of the Hangzhou Asian Games gold medal.

That carried over to the PBA as Newsome was able to perhaps display his best season since being drafted by Meralco in 2015.



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And with a championship and a good OQT run for club and country, Newsome is having a great year. INQ

Romualdez praises Gilas Pilipinas after Fiba OQT campaign

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Gilas Pilipinas ends its Fiba OQT run and dreams of making it to the Paris Olympics with a loss to Brazil in the semifinals. –FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed admiration for Gilas Pilipinas for demonstrating “unparalleled determination, skill and heart” despite losing to Brazil in the semifinals of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, Latvia.

“The journey of Gilas Pilipinas in this tournament has been nothing short of inspirational. Their victory against Latvia, a European team, was a historic moment for Philippine basketball and a testament to the team’s resilience and capability,” Romualdez said in a statement on Sunday.

READ: Marcos proud of Gilas despite loss to Brazil

“Although our bid for the Olympics ended, our players have proven their mettle by going toe-to-toe with world-class athletes and making every Filipino proud,” he added.

Gilas Pilipinas’ dream of reaching the Paris Olympics ended after a 71-60 loss to world No. 12 Brazil in the semifinals of the Fiba OQT.

Romualdez also commended Gilas coach Tim Cone and his coaching staff “for their exemplary leadership and dedication.”

READ: Tim Cone on Gilas’ Fiba OQT campaign: Now we know we can compete

“Their guidance and strategies have been pivotal in the team’s performance, bringing out the best in our players and instilling a sense of pride and confidence. The discipline and hard work that went into each game are truly commendable,” the lawmaker said.

“To the players of Gilas Pilipinas, your courage, sportsmanship, and passion have inspired countless Filipinos. You have shown heart and determination. Your journey has sparked a renewed sense of hope and pride in our nation, and for that, we are eternally grateful,” he added.

Aside from Romualdez, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also congratulated the team.

“It was a great fight, Gilas Pilipinas! You have made us Filipinos proud and made history! We will always stand behind you in support. Bida ang bayaning manlalaro! ” Marcos said in a social media post.



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Gilas boys finish last in Fiba U17 World Cup

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Australia’s Dash Daniels, middle, tries to score against Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba U17 World Cup in Turkey.–FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas boys wound up in last place after a dreadful campaign in the Fiba Under-17 World Cup.

Gilas placed 16th following a 115-53 beating at the hands of Australia in the classification match on Sunday (Manila time) at Ahmet Comert Sports Hall in Istanbul, Turkey.

The young Nationals scored the game’s first points but the match quickly went away from them, trailing 31-16, after the opening period.

READ: Gilas boys lose to USA by 96, bow out of Fiba U17 World Cup

Gilas, which was coming off a 19-point loss to China on Saturday, never recovered and saw the deficit balloon to as many as 62 points. The Filipinos shot just 30 percent from the field, including 5-of-34 from long distance.

Edryn Morales posted 17 points and nine rebounds for Gilas, which sorely missed the services of its main man Kieffer Alas. Alas was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.

Dash Daniels paced the Australians with 28 points, four rebounds and four assists while Nash Walker contributed 18 points.

Australia, which shot 59 percent from the field and knocked down 16 3-pointers, also drew a near-double-double effort from Joel Robinson, who tallied 11 points and nine boards.

It marked the first time Gilas finished dead last at 16th in the U17 World Cup since its qualification in 2014. The Philippines finished 15th in 2014 and 13th in 2018.



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Gilas struggles against Brazil defense in Fiba OQT loss

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Gilas Pilipinas’ Justin Brownlee tries to work his way around Brazil’s defense during the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) semifinal.–FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Brazil turned to its stifling defense to end Gilas Pilipinas’ Olympic dream in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday (Manila time) in Riga, Latvia.

Except for a slow start that saw them trail by double-digits early, the Brazilians were able to limit Gilas’ offense en route to a 71-60 win.

“We can be proud [with] how we cut every single triangle game from the Philippines,” said Brazil coach Aleksander Petrovic after steering his squad to the OQT final where a spot in the Paris Olympics is at stake.

READ: Gilas’ Olympic dream ends, bows out of Fiba OQT with loss to Brazil

“We cut them everything. They stayed 31 points below what they averaged in their first two games. We cut the percentage of the shots. When the Philippines scores 60 points, in my opinion, we did a huge job.”

Brazil held Gilas to its worst scoring game in the tournament after the Filipinos put up 89 points against Latvia and 94 against Georgia.

The Philippines had to bleed for points, converting just 38 percent of its field goal attempts.

More importantly for Brazil, it managed to slow down Gilas’ main weapon in Justin Brownlee.

READ: Gilas’ Justin Brownlee savors first Fiba OQT experience

After averaging 27 points on 53 percent shooting from the field, Brownlee struggled against Brazil, finishing with 15 points on 5/16 shooting from the field.

“We had to cut his percentage to below 48% because he was shooting the ball pretty well,” said Brazil guard Georginho De Paula.

“Wherever he goes, we were there. I think we did a great job,” added De Paula.

Brazil meets Latvia in the final on Monday.



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Tim Cone rues Kai Sotto absence in Gilas loss to Brazil

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Injured center Kai Sotto sits on Gilas Pilipinas bench during a game against Brazil in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, Latvia.–FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas sorely missed the absence of Kai Sotto in a loss to Brazil on Saturday that ended its hopes of making the Paris Olympics.

Sotto was sidelined due to a bruised rib he suffered against Georgia on Thursday.

Without the 7-foot-3 center, Gilas just couldn’t provide enough resistance in the paint against Brazil, which was led by former NBA veteran Bruno Caboclo.

READ: Gilas struggles against Brazil in Fiba OQT loss

“We don’t want to make excuses but losing Kai was big for us,” said Cone after Gilas’ 71-60 loss. “It just took away our depth in the front line.”

The 6-foot-9 Caboclo, a first round pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2014, muscled his way to 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Gilas tried to fill the void by playing June Mar Fajardo extended minutes. The seven-time PBA MVP stepped up with 10 points and 11 rebounds but he could only do so much in 30 minutes of action.

READ: Tim Cone on Gilas’ Fiba OQT campaign: Now we know we can compete

“It [Sotto’s absence] forced June Mar Fajardo to overplay minutes and that all mushroomed from there but the bottom line is we just weren’t good enough tonight,” Cone said. “They played us with a really physical brand of basketball… We lacked in the big, we had to overplay our frontline.”

“More than anything, I think June Mar got really tired having to face 51 (Bruno Caboclo) and No. 6 (Cristiano Felicio). Those two guys banged on him and rotated on him and it was a tough battle for him being there by himself.”

Prior to the injury, Sotto averaged 11 points, four rebounds and 1.5 blocks in two games against Latvia and Georgia.

Sotto was among Gilas’ heroes in its stunning upset of world No. 6 Latvia on Thursday, posting 18 points, eight rebounds and a block in close to 33 minutes of play.



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Gilas’ Justin Brownlee savors first Fiba OQT experience

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Gilas Pilipinas forward Justin Brownlee during a game against Brazil in the Fiba OQT semifinal in Riga, Latvia.–FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas may not have punched its ticket to the Paris Olympics after bowing out of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament semifinal at the hands of Brazil but Justin Brownlee still took something positive at the end of their campaign.

After all, the experience allowed Brownlee to test his mettle against some of the world’s best teams in his first time playing in the OQT. And that alone was a reason for the naturalized forward to be proud of.

“I haven’t had too many opportunities like this. This is actually my first opportunity as far as playing in the Olympic Qualifiers. As a team, we’re going to just take these experiences and just try to move forward and get better,” Brownlee said in an interview with BasketNews.

READ: Tim Cone on Gilas’ Fiba OQT campaign: Now we know we can compete

“Coming in and playing in hostile environments, playing against Latvia, was a great experience with their crowd and how they are supporting their team.”

Facing a tall order heading into the qualifiers, Gilas–led by Brownlee–came just two wins short of fulfilling its Olympic dream after losing to Brazil, 71-60, at Arena Riga in Latvia Saturday night (Manila time).

Brownlee tallied 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block to lead Gilas against Brazil, which had to overcome an early double-digit deficit.

The 36-year-old Brownlee ended his OQT stint as the leading scorer in Group A, averaging 23 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists. His best game came against world No. 6 Latvia, powering Gilas’ impressive 89-80 victory with 26 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

READ: NBA teams that passed up on Brownlee have given PH valuable gift

But as Gilas’ naturalized player, Brownlee couldn’t avoid being compared to Jordan Clarkson, who played the same role as the longtime Ginebra import back by reinforcing the Philippine team in the Fiba World Cup in Manila.

The comparisons to the NBA star, however, don’t seem to bother Brownlee.

“I just try to play my game,” said a confident Brownlee.

“Clarkson is an incredible player; he’s killing [it] in the NBA. I’ve been a fan of him. I’ve seen him in the World Cup games. He’s an incredible player, but me myself, I just try to play my game and try to do the best I can.”



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Gilas ends Olympic bid, but not after showcasing elite program

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Dwight Ramos (with ball) rues loss to Brazil, but lauds the national program’s progress. —FIBA.BASKETBALL

There will be chock-full of stories and thought pieces on Gilas Pilipinas’ run in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia.

The Filipinos ended their stint—and their bid to make it to the Paris Olympics—after a 71-60 loss on Saturday to Brazil in the capital city of Riga.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s funny we didn’t expect to be here but then when we got here we’d expect to win. So it’s painful that we didn’t especially having that halftime lead,” national coach Tim Cone said after the game.

READ: Gilas’ Olympic dream ends, bows out of Fiba OQT with loss to Brazil

His players, however, know they earned something from the arduous journey.

Take Kai Sotto, for example.

“I think the basketball world doesn’t give the Philippines much respect,” the 7-foot-3 big man said in an interview with the Olympic Channel.

“I think that’s our job to prove to the world [so] that teams got to respect us more,” he added.

The Philippines wowed global basketball with an 89-80 upset of World No. 6 Latvia and went on to prove that such a triumph was no fluke taking a narrow 96-94 loss to No. 23-ranked Georgia just 18 hours later.

HIGHLIGHTS: Gilas Pilipinas vs Brazil Fiba OQT semifinals July 6

“Now we know we could compete and we know we could play with European guys,” Cone said in an earlier television interview. “It’s just a matter of putting a really good game together.”

They almost did that, this time against a South American superpower ranked 12th in the world.

The Philippines took control of the first half and were up six at the break, before the Brazilians asserted themselves at the start of the third quarter to pull away.

“Them (Brazilians) going on a, what, 12-0 or 14-0 run on us to start the third quarter, was painful to watch. But there’s a reason Brazil’s 12th-ranked in the world and they proved that tonight,” Cone said.

READ: Gilas win over Latvia puts spotlight on Tim Cone’s triangle offense

It was actually an 18-0 run by the South Americans that had the Filipinos’ hopes of an Olympic stint caving in.

“[I]t just takes one night. You don’t show up and you lose. [S]o today we just didn’t play our best and Brazil just beat us,” said guard Dwight Ramos, a Gilas program fixture who finished with 13 points.

But it was also Ramos who earlier gave the Olympic Channel a perspective of what the team was able to do in Latvia.



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“[W]e’re finally making strides, hanging tough with the teams, and beating teams we shouldn’t,” he said. “I think it’s a great feeling, and the progress we’ve been making over the years—I’m glad to be a part of it from the beginning.”

Gilas’ Olympic bid ends, bows out of Fiba OQT with loss to Brazil

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Gilas Pilipinas’ June Mar Fajardo against two Brazil defenders during the Fiba OQT semifinals game in Riga, Latvia. –FIBA PHOTO

Gilas Pilipinas saw its dream to make it to the Paris Olympics end on Saturday night after losing to world No. 12  Brazil, 71-60, in the semifinals of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, Latvia.

A third-quarter meltdown for Gilas Pilipinas spelled the end after the Filipinos allowed Brazil to go on a crippling 24-6 run that erased whatever strong start they had to the game.

It was all Brazil from that point with its star Bruno Caboclo catching fire and fueling his team’s push for the Summer Games. Caboclo, who played for several NBA teams, finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

LIVE UPDATES: Gilas Pilipinas vs Brazil Fiba OQT semifinals July 6

Justin Brownlee, who averaged 27 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in the group phase for Gilas, just couldn’t find his usual shots and was limited to just 15 points–all but three in the first two quarters.

Brownlee only found his mark again with 4:11 left to play after he picked up his fourth foul. He made a crucial 3-pointer that put Gilas within a realistic distance to make a last-ditch rally, 61-49.

Brazil, though, quickly responded with a 6-2 run making sure the Filipinos don’t get anything going.

After leading by as many as 12 in the first half, the Filipinos suddenly hit a wall in the third quarter while the Brazilians found their rhythm and quickly wrested the momentum.

Gilas Pilipinas went scoreless for more than six minutes into the third quarter.

June Mar Fajardo and

Despite the semifinal exit, Gilas Pilipinas still turned heads in Riga after stunning world No.6 and host Latvia and eliminating No.23 Georgia in the group phase.



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Brazil braces for ‘highly technical’ Gilas in Fiba OQT semifinals

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Coach Aleksandar Petrovic and Brazil face Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba OQT semifinals in Riga, Latvia. –FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Brazil knows the caliber of the Gilas Pilipinas team that stands in the way of its goal to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Brazil and the Philippines square off in the semifinals of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga, the penultimate roadblock to securing one of the remaining spots for the Paris Summer Games.

Game time is at 8:30 pm with a victory sending either team into the Fiba OQT Final against either Latvia or Cameroon.

SCHEDULE: Gilas Pilipinas at Fiba OQT semifinals 2024

Coach Aleksandar Petrovic characterized fellow coach Tim Cone and the Filipinos, who have so far surprised the tournament–and themselves, as a “highly technical” team and he knows his team will have its hands full trying to contain them.

“The Philippines is a completely different team to [Cameroon]. It’s a highly technical team with excellent players who play one-on-one, four or five of them play more than 33 minutes,” said Petrovic after Brazil lost to Cameroon early Friday but still wound up as the top team in Group B.

Gilas Pilipinas tim cone latvia Philippines Fiba OQT schedule

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone during a Fiba OQT Riga game against world No. 6 Latvia. –FIBA BASKETBALL

Gilas Pilipinas will lean on its trusty hero Justin Brownlee against the world No. 12, while the Brazilians tout several NBA talents led by their main man Bruno Caboclo.

READ: Gilas faces Brazil with Paris Olympics just two wins away

But the lack of winning history and the disparity in the world rankings shouldn’t faze Brownlee and Gilas Pilipinas, who have shown they have what it takes to beat higher-ranked teams after upsetting world No. 6 Latvia and eliminating No. 23 Georgia just a few days ago.

The Philippines has never beaten Brazil in any of their meetings in the 20th century between the 1950s to the 1970s. The last time these two teams faced off was in the semifinals of the 1978 World Championship for Men.

Saturday’s game will be an entirely different story for both sides.

“We are two games away from our dream so we need to forget who is not anymore with us. We need to find our energy, we need to find a way how to beat Philippines,” said Petrovic.



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Gilas faces Brazil with Paris Olympics just two wins away

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Gilas Pilipinas headed to the Fiba OQT semifinals. –FIBA PHOTO

Gilas Pilipinas’ path to the Paris Games goes through Brazil, a nation steep with a glorious Olympic past and one that seems to have quite an edge on the Filipinos.

Aside from a world No. 12 ranking and a history of dominating the Philippines on the world stage, the Cariocas are littered with a bevy of NBA-tested talents that could easily outshine Gilas’ standouts on paper.

But the Nationals aren’t entering their 8:30 p.m. confrontation on Saturday thinking like cattle being led to the slaughter house. Thanks to a stunning upset of world No. 6 Latvia and a gutsy stand versus desperate Georgia, Gilas has reached a level of confidence that it has never had in the past.

SCHEDULE: Gilas Pilipinas at Fiba OQT semifinals 2024

“We still got so much more to give and so much more that we can do,” Chris Newsome said shortly after a 96-94 loss to Georgia on Thursday that was still enough to safely push the Filipinos into the crossover semifinals.

“We’ve been through a lot. I mean, a lot of people are disappointed with the last World Cup—as am I—[but] it feels good to finally be in this position, finally moving up in the ranks and beating teams that we shouldn’t,” Gilas cornerstone Dwight Ramos said.

The Philippines has been playing with a different kind of zest in Riga, and the team’s stats back it up. Gilas is scoring an average of 91.5 points, which is far superior than of Brazil’s 77.5. The Nationals are also a tad better in rebounding, collaring 39.5 against the Cariocas’ 38.

In full force

Brazil had produced one of the biggest international stars in the game in Oscar Schmidt, considered to be the best scorer the game has seen with close to 50,000 points scored for Brazil and his club team.

The Brazilians don’t have a player like that anymore, but that doesn’t mean that the Cariocas will be easier than the first two teams Gilas has thus far faced.

A win Saturday will set up the Philippines to a Paris Games slot game against the winner of the Latvia-Cameroon tiff.

READ: Gilas Pilipinas stuns world No. 6 Latvia to open Fiba OQT bid

Gilas is also expected to play at full strength. Though a game-time decision, national coach Tim Cone told the Inquirer that Kai Sotto—who hurt his right rib after getting landed by a Georgian player—is free of fractures.

Though he has made it clear that Gilas is out to win the whole thing, Cone has also cautioned his charges on the perils of thinking too far ahead.

“We were just so euphoric beating Latvia. All of the texts, social media going on in Manila. I think that set the guys back,” he said, referring to the team’s slow start against Georgia.



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“If we’re going to continue to look forward like that, I think that’s going to be a problem for us. But we have no doubt,” he went on. “You know, we want to just say what’s right in front of us. We don’t want to look at the end zone.”