Gilas Pilipinas finally broke through with their first win at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup — and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time. After two painful losses to Chinese-Taipei and New Zealand, coach Tim Cone’s squad defeated Iraq 66-57 on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to keep their title hopes alive.
“We picked a tougher road to go, but we’re ready to accept that challenge,” Cone said, fully aware that the victory was just the beginning of a long uphill climb.
A Desperate Battle for Survival
This was no walk in the park. Iraq, desperate to avoid elimination, came out firing and even took two six-point leads in the opening quarter. Gilas looked shaky early on, and Cone admitted the team was “certainly worried” as the shots kept falling for the Iraqis.
But Gilas regrouped. By halftime, they clawed their way back to a 33-all tie, setting the stage for a strong second-half push.
Ramos to the Rescue
The turning point came in the third quarter, with Dwight Ramos catching fire. He scored 10 of his 21 points in that period, including back-to-back three-pointers that swung the momentum in Gilas’ favor. Justin Brownlee, despite struggling with his shot all game, buried a timely triple to stretch the lead to 44-35.
From there, Cone’s pre-tournament emphasis on defense finally paid off. Gilas locked down Iraq, forcing turnovers and limiting their scoring chances. AJ Edu was a defensive wall, finishing with three steals, two blocks, nine points, and seven rebounds.
By the end of the third, Gilas had built a 55-40 cushion. Iraq tried to rally in the fourth, cutting the deficit to just seven, but the Filipinos held their nerve to seal the win.
What’s Next for Gilas?
The victory placed Gilas third in Group D (1-2), earning them a qualification game for a quarterfinal spot against the second-placed team from Group C — either Saudi Arabia or Jordan. At press time, Saudi Arabia only needed a win over India to set up a clash with Gilas on Monday.
If they advance, the challenge gets even bigger: a likely quarterfinal showdown with Group A leaders Australia, who have been dominant so far, including a 93-80 win over Lebanon.
For now, though, Cone is focused on the positives. “Any win at this point is a big win, just to rekindle our confidence,” he said.
The road ahead is anything but easy — but after this gritty performance, Gilas has shown they’re ready for the fight.
Hi, I’m Zaheer Shah, a contributor and reporter at TezzLive.com. I have a strong passion for storytelling and believe that accurate, timely news can make a real difference in people’s lives. My work focuses on delivering reliable updates, in-depth analysis, and human-interest stories that connect with our readers.