KEVIN Quiambao showed that Gilas Pilipinas does not have to rely solely on Justin Brownlee for the kind of clutch shots that can swing a game.
With Brownlee unavailable for the Philippines’ 82-81 overtime escape against Jordan, Quiambao stepped up when an opportunity presented itself, drilling the go-ahead three-pointer that gave Gilas an 82-79 lead with 11.7 seconds left in overtime.
“JB is JB. Wino-work out ko lang ’yung mga gano’n para kapag kailangan ng team, puwede ko siyang gawin,” Quiambao said.
“Nagkaroon ng opening opportunity, so sinubukan ko lang. Sakto, pina-practice ko iyung shot na iyun, so luckily it went in.”
The shot became one of the defining moments of a dramatic night for the Philippines, which erased an early 18-point deficit and eventually completed the comeback in front of a packed Mall of Asia Arena.
But Quiambao said the victory was ultimately a product of Gilas’ resilience rather than one individual play.
“Ayun nga, ’yung resiliency ng team,” he said. “Ipinakita namin na kaya naming makipag-compete for 40 minutes,” he said.
Gilas trailed Jordan, 28-14, after the opening quarter and remained behind at halftime before gradually clawing its way back into the contest.
Quiambao said the team simply needed to wait for its opportunity to seize momentum.
“Basketball is a game of runs. So you just need to find that momentum, at ayun nga, dumating,” Quiambao continued.
The La Salle standout finished with 14 points with two three-pointers, while Kai Sotto led Gilas with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
After Quiambao’s crucial triple, Jordan cut the lead to one following a five-second inbound violation, setting up a frantic final possession.
That was when Sotto delivered the final defensive blow, blocking Abdullah Olajuwon’s potential game-winning attempt to preserve the victory.
The comeback snapped Gilas’ four-game losing streak and gave the Philippines a much-needed win to open the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
With another crucial game against Iran coming Sunday, Quiambao’s performance also offered Gilas another encouraging sign: the Philippines may have found another player willing to take the biggest shot when the moment arrives. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
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MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas found a way to survive a tense overtime battle against Jordan, securing an 82-81 victory Friday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena to open its second-round campaign in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
With Justin Brownlee sidelined, the Philippines leaned on several players to produce at the right time, none bigger than Kevin Quiambao, Kai Sotto and CJ Perez in the extra period.
The hard-earned win ended Gilas Pilipinas’ four-game slide and improved its record to 3-4 in Pool E, keeping the Philippines within striking distance in the race for a World Cup berth.
Jordan, meanwhile, fell to 5-2.
The visitors seemed poised to steal the game after Jalen Harris gave Jordan a 78-74 cushion with a jumper with 1:53 left in overtime.
Gilas responded with a 5-0 surge.
AJ Edu first split his free throws before Perez drove aggressively to the basket for two points. Sotto then cleaned up a missed Quiambao triple, giving the Philippines its first lead of the extra period at 79-78 with 41.5 seconds remaining.
Jordan quickly drew level after Harris was fouled while attacking the basket. With Harris unable to take the resulting free throws, Omar Salman stepped in but could only make one, tying the score at 79 with 30.6 seconds on the clock.
That set the stage for Quiambao.
The forward made up for an earlier miss from the same area by drilling a three-pointer with just 11.7 seconds left, putting Gilas ahead 82-79.
Jordan had one last chance to steal the game but Sotto’s presence inside proved decisive. The 7-foot-3 center challenged Olajuwon’s final attempt and helped preserve the Philippine lead as the clock ran out.
The result gave Gilas a much-needed boost following four consecutive defeats to Australia and New Zealand during the first round.
Sotto also made a significant impact in his return to the national team, supplying size, rebounding and interior defense as Gilas competed without Brownlee.
Carl Tamayo was forced out of the game in the third quarter after suffering a left-leg injury in a collision. He had scored eight points before leaving.
Gilas will have little time to celebrate, with Iran next on the schedule at 8pm Sunday at the same venue.
Iran also owns a 5-2 record, making the matchup another critical test for the Philippines in its bid to reach the 2027 FIBA World Cup. (Adrian Co)
The post Kai Sotto’s last second block propels Gilas to 82-81 OT win versus Jordan first appeared on Fastbreak.
