Louie Sison
Gilas Pilipinas’ dream of reaching the 2024 Paris Olympics came to a heartbreaking end after falling to Brazil, 71-60, in the semifinals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday in Riga, Latvia.
The loss eliminated the Philippines from contention for an Olympic berth and wrapped up their impressive run in the qualifiers that included a historic win against world no. 6 Latvia in the group stage.
Promising Start but Fading Finish
The Philippine men’s basketball team got off to a promising start, taking a 33-27 lead into halftime. However, they were limited to just 6 points in a pivotal third quarter where the game slipped away from them.
Brazil came out of the locker room on fire, going on a 14-0 run to seize a 41-33 advantage. June Mar Fajardo finally broke the scoring drought for Gilas, but the Brazilians maintained control and ended the period up 51-39.
Gilas made some runs in the fourth quarter to keep things interesting. A Japeth Aguilar jumper cut the deficit to 53-46 with 6:20 remaining. But Brazil responded with another 8-0 spurt to push the lead back to 15. A Justin Brownlee three-pointer gave the Philippines some life, but Brazil proved to be too much, extending the margin to 16 at 67-51 with under 3 minutes to play.
Brownlee and Ramos Lead the Way
Brownlee, the naturalized Filipino star, led Gilas in scoring with 15 points on 5/16 shooting while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists. Dwight Ramos added 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Fajardo battled inside for a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards.
However, it wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced Brazil attack led by former NBA player Bruno Caboclo. Caboclo dominated on both ends, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. 41-year-old veteran point guard Marcelinho Huertas orchestrated the offense with 13 points and 7 assists.
Sotto Sits Out with Injury
Gilas was also missing a key piece in 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, who sat out the game due to a bruised rib suffered in their previous contest against Georgia. Sotto sustained the injury in the 2nd quarter of that match when Georgia’s Goga Bitadze landed on him after Sotto fell to the floor.
Though initial x-rays were negative, Sotto was still experiencing soreness. After attempting to practice on Friday, the decision was made to hold him out as a precaution. His size and interior presence were sorely missed against a big Brazil frontline.
Watch the Full Highlights Video
Historic Head-to-Head
The loss dropped the Philippines to 0-5 all-time against Brazil. The two nations first met in the 1952 Olympics where Brazil prevailed 71-52. They also faced off twice in the 1954 FIBA World Cup and once more in 1978, with Brazil winning all three matchups.
A victory would have been doubly historic for Gilas – their first ever against the Brazilians and first trip to the Finals of a FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. But it wasn’t meant to be, as the basketball powerhouse proved too strong in the end.
End of a Thrilling Journey
While the result was disappointing, it doesn’t diminish what Gilas accomplished in Riga. Very few expected them to even reach this point after being placed in the “Group of Death” alongside Latvia and Georgia.
Their stunning upset of the Latvians, in front of a raucous home crowd no less, will go down as one of the greatest victories in Philippine basketball history. Justin Brownlee was spectacular throughout the tournament, nearly averaging a triple-double with 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists through the first two games.
The team showed tremendous heart and fight, exemplifying the best qualities of Philippine basketball. They may have fallen short of their ultimate goal, but they made their country proud and gave fans a thrilling ride.
The future remains bright for the program with young stars like Sotto, Ramos and Carl Tamayo leading the way. For now though, the players, coaches and supporters will understandably be feeling the sting of a painful defeat.
Brazil moves on to the Finals on July 7 where they await the winner between Latvia and Cameroon with an Olympic berth on the line. As for Gilas Pilipinas, it’s time to regroup, learn from this experience, and begin preparing for the next challenge ahead.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings