Gilas Pilipinas can expect a much tougher match against the revamped Chinese Taipei for their second faceoff in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
After a 1-2 campaign in the Doha International Cup, Gilas Pilipinas will be setting its sights on a stronger performance as they face Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers on February 20 at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium.
The nationals had their first training session in Taiwan after arriving in the country on Tuesday, February 18.
Head coach Tim Cone admitted that while the Doha tournament was disappointing in terms of results, it served as a crucial learning camp for the team.
"We didn't perform as well as we wanted to in Doha. Anytime we're playing on the world stage, it's important to win. But the bottom line is that the Doha games were a development camp for us," Cone emphasized. "Now, we're in the crucial part of it. We wanted this to be tough because teams learn from adversity. We’re hoping that Doha makes us better."
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Gilas defeated host Qatar but fell short against Lebanon and Egypt, using the tournament to refine their chemistry and identify areas for improvement.
With a perfect 4-0 record and a secured spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, Gilas is looking to stay dominant while a revamped Chinese Taipei (1-3) fights to remain in contention for the final qualifying tournament.
"We can’t afford to rest right now. We just have to keep pushing forward," Cone emphasized. "Taiwan will be much better this time. They have a new import, a new coach, and a couple of new players, so we expect a much different fight. But I think we're ready for it."
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Among the new players for Chinese Taipei include Mohammad Al Bachir Gadiaga, who plays in the Japan B.League, and naturalized 7-footer Brandon Gilbeck.
Chinese-Taipei coach Gianluca Tucci is likely to call on three additional players who didn't face Gilas last year, namely Ying Chun Chen, Chien Hao Ma, and Long Mao Ha.
The last time the two teams met was in February 2024 where Gilas cruised to a commanding 106-53 victory at home, with Justin Brownlee leading the way with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists.
However, with the match now on Chinese Taipei's home court, Gilas is preparing for a much tighter contest.