After the upset against Latvia, can Gilas Pilipinas slay another European giant in Georgia to keep their Games Paris 2024 dream alive?
July 4, 2024 will now forever be etched in Philippine basketball history.
On this day, Gilas Pilipinas defied the odds and pulled off one of the most improbable wins in program history, stunning Davis Bertans and world no.6 Latvia in Riga, 89-80, to open their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament on a high note.
Justine Brownlee came up big with a near triple-double of 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while Kai Sotto was also impressive behind an 18-point, eight- rebound, and three-steal game.
[ALSO READ: Justin Brownlee sizzles as Gilas Pilipinas shock world no. 6 Latvia for strong start in FIBA OQT]
Against overwhelming odds, Gilas Men led by as many as 26 points before holding off a late Latvia rally en route to a rousing win that broke the hearts of the stunned Latvian crowd.
The triumph marked the first time Philippines have beaten an European team in 64 years, as the Filipinos look to end a 52-year drought to return to the Olympic men's basketball tournament.
It also put Gilas Men on the brink of advancing to the semifinals. But one team are standing in their way, the world no. 23 Georgia, who is eager for a bounce-back win after getting demolished by the Latvians by 28 points.
Let’s break down some scenarios on how Gilas Pilipinas can advance to the FIBA OQT semifinals:
Take note: Latvia is the only team that has secured qualification to the semifinals. It's up to the Philippines and Georgia to determine whether the hosts will become the Group A winners or the second-best team.
| Group A | W/L | +/- | Points |
| Latvia | 1/1 | 19 | 3 |
| Philippines | 1/0 | 9 | 2 |
| Georgia | 0/1 | -28 | 1 |
If Gilas wins vs. Georgia…
A victory over Georgia would automatically put Gilas Pilipinas atop of Group A with a 2-0 win-loss record.
That means as the no. 1 seed in Group A, they will face the no. 2 ranked-team in Group B in the next round.
As it stands now over there in Group B, Montenegro (1-1) is currently leading the way with a point ahead of Brazil (1-0) and two in front of Cameroon (0-1), with the latter two teams facing off later today.
If Gilas loses to Georgia by 18 points or less…
This is where it gets interesting.
A loss to Georgia by this margin would have all three squads in Group A tied with identical 1-1 win-loss records.
The final ranking of the teams will be determined through a tiebreaker, where the first criteria is the point difference between the three teams under FIBA rules.
Despite Thursday's shock defeat, Latvia is guaranteed one of the semifinals berth, given their huge point differential of +19.
Georgia winning 18 points or less would not be enough for the Europeans, as Gilas Pilipinas would still emerge as the no. 2 seed in Group A due to a higher point differential. In this case, the Filipinos will face the no. 1 team in Group B.
Entering Thursday night’s critical match, Gilas Pilipinas has the better point differential with a +9. Georgia meanwhile, faces a huge hole of -28 after the lopsided loss to Latvia.
If Gilas loses to Georgia by 19 points or more…
Then it's game over for Gilas.
Georgia paraded two NBA players in Orlando Magic’s Goga Bitadze and San Antonio Spurs’ Sandro Mamukelashvili.
With the Europeans' backs against the wall, Georgia is looking for revenge and aim to continue the Paris 2024 quest.
Simply put:
- A Gilas Pilipinas win over Georgia means the Philippines, as the no. 1 seed in Group A, advances to the semifinals.
- A Gilas Pilipinas loss against Georgia by 18 points or less means the Philippines, now as the no. 2 seed in Group A, would still advance to the semifinals.
- A Gilas Pilipinas loss against Georgia by 19 points or more means the Philippines, now dead last in Group A, will not qualify for the semifinals.
Catch Justin Brownlee, Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos and the rest of Gilas Pilipinas, as they vie for a FIBA OQT semis spot later against Georgia at 8:30 p.m. live on One Sports and the Pilipinas Live app.