Only one victory separates Gilas Pilpinas, Australia, and Japan from a place in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
Gilas Pilipinas bannered three teams who remained unbeaten and are one win away from a FIBA Asia Cup 2025 spot.
Powerhouse Australia and world no. 21 Japan joined the Philippines as the solo leaders of their respective groups to open the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025 second window on Thursday, November 21.
Group A
- Australia (3-0) def. Thailand (1-2): 101-48
- South Korea (2-1) def. Indonesia (0-3): 86-78
Chris Goulding set an Asia Cup Qualifiers record with nine threes made en route to a 27–point outing as the Boomers decimated Thailand in Group A play.
The three-time NBL champion set the tone early with 21 markers on seven treys in the opening half, helping Australia shrug off a shaky start and broke the game wide open with a 30-9 second quarter.
DJ Vasiljevic chipped in 14 markers for the Boomers, who will qualify in the next round if they overcome South Korea
Speaking of South Korea, they managed to dig deep and overcame naturalized player Anthony Beane and upset-axe Indonesia behind a stellar fourth quarter.
Trailing 68-64 with eight minutes left, the world no. 53 squad rode a 11-0 run to take the lead at 75-68 and went on to register back-to-back wins.
An Youngjun and Lee Hyunjung combined to score 15 of South Korea’s 28-point output in the final frame to negate Beane’s game-high 27 markers.
Group B
- Philippines (3-0) def. New Zealand (2-1): 93-89
- Chinese Taipei (1-2) def. Hong Kong (0-3): 85-55
Gilas Pilipinas finally solved the New Zealand puzzle.
Kai Sotto and Justin Brownlee proved to be a lethal 1-2 punch as the Philippines scored a massive upset against the New Zealand. It's Gilas Pilipinas' first win against the Tall Blacks in five tries.
[ALSO READ: Gilas Pilipinas scores first win vs. New Zealand, closes in on FIBA Asia Cup 2025 berth]
Sotto posted 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven dimes alongside two blocks and a block, putting up his best all-around game yet donning the national tricolors.
Justin Brownlee went off with a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double with four assists in 38 minutes of play
Scottie Thompson added 12 markers, four boards and six dimes. Chris Newsome contributed 11 points–including a clutch triple off Thompson’s inbound pass that padded Gilas’ lead to 91-84 with 69 seconds left.
A win against Hong Kong would formalize the Philippines’ entry in the biennial sporting tournament which will be held in Saudi Arabia next year.
On the other hand, Chinese Taipei claimed their first win via 30-point beating of Hong Kong in Group B action.
Mohammad Gadiaga topscored the squad with 18 points while Brandon Gilbeck finished with a double-double of 15 markers and 13 boards.
Hu Long-Mao and Ma Chien-Hao combined for 30 points in a wire-to-wire game that saw Chinese Taipei lead by as many as 40 points.
Group C
- Japan (3-0) def. Mongolia (0-2): 93-75
- China (2-1) def. Guam (1-2): 101-53
Two Asian powerhouse in Japan and China racked up dominating wins in Group C play.
Yudai Nishidi was simply phenomenal for Akatsuki Japan with a 21-point outing built on seven threes in a 18-point victory over Mongolia.
Makoto Hiejima fired 14 of his 18 points in the opening half while Alex Kirk finished with a 17-8-5 statline.
After a 22-all first quarter, Japan outscored Mongolia, 45-29, in the middle quarters that proved to be enough to secure a third straight dub.
A win against Guam on Sunday, November 22 would help Japan seal their place in the next round of the tournament.
Meanwhile, China put on a passing clinic and relied on a well-balanced scoring to demolish Guam.
The world no. 30 squad dished out 31 assists, the third most in Asia Cup qualifiers history with six men finishing in double figures.
Yang Hansen led the barrage with 16 points as young phenom Zeng Fanbo added 14 markers and Hu Jinqiu, Cheng Shuaipeng, Hu Mingxuan and Zhu Junlong contributed 12,11, 10 and 10 markers respectively.
San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz poured 12 points in a losing effort as Guam slipped to a 1-2 record.