The Philippines is set to create a significant historical moment as the Gilas Basketball team secures a spot in the finals of the Asian Games. It’s been nearly 33 years since luck smiled upon them in this particular sport. On October 4, the Filipino players, led by naturalized player Justin Brownlee, sealed their victory with a score of 77-76 against the host country, China.
China was left in disbelief at their fate after dominating Gilas from the first quarter all the way to the fourth quarter of the game. In the third quarter, the Filipino team headed by Brownlee managed to gain a lead with the help of their three-point shots, consistently hitting them without fail.
Filipino fans were constantly surprised as Gilas managed to hang on and secure a slight advantage in the last 24 seconds of the match when China had possession of the ball. If China had made their last shot, Gilas could have been defeated. Due to the tight screens set by Gilas, China’s attempt failed, and the Pinoy team grabbed the rebound, with Brownlee having the final possession of the ball before the buzzer sounded.
Some of the Chinese players were close to tears, and even former NBA star Yao Ming was left in astonishment at the turn of events for his compatriots. Nevertheless, he still watched and shook hands with his players.
Thanks to this significant victory, Gilas is set to face the winner between Jordan and Chinese Taipei in the finals on Friday, October 6. Coach Tim Cone is expecting to face Jordan in the finals and believes that they can prepare for Jordan’s style of play despite their previous loss to them. The Gilas players are ecstatic about their remarkable performance. (Ferdz M. Brizo | Bicol Peryodiko News Team)
