In a pulsating finale of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, Chinese-Taipei emerged victorious with a 91-84 win over Gilas Pilipinas at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium on Thursday, February 20. The game was marked by dramatic momentum shifts and standout individual performances that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

A Gritty Comeback and a Late Surge

The Philippines fought hard throughout the contest. Trailing by 10 points at the onset of the fourth quarter, key plays from Justin Brownlee, Chris Newsome, and AJ Edu helped narrow the gap. At the 3:56 mark, Brownlee’s timely three-pointer briefly gave Gilas Pilipinas the lead, making the score 80-79.

However, the tide turned when Taiwanese sharpshooter Chun Hsiang Lu hit a crucial three-pointer with just 49 seconds left, extending Chinese-Taipei’s lead to 89-84. The game was effectively sealed when Brandon Gilbeck dunked with 17 seconds remaining, finalizing the score at 91-84.

Standout Performances

For the Taiwanese team, Ting-Chien Lin and Mohammad Al Bachir Gadiaga led the scoring with 21 points each, while Chun Hsiang Lu added 18 markers.

On the Philippine side, Justin Brownlee stood out with a game-high 39 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Dwight Ramos contributed 15 points, and AJ Edu added 10 points along with 6 rebounds, showcasing the resilience and effort of the Gilas Pilipinas squad.

What’s Next for Gilas Pilipinas?

Despite the loss, the Philippines are assured of a berth in the main FIBA Asia Cup 2025 draw in Saudi Arabia, based on their win-loss record in Group B. Their next challenge comes on Sunday, February 23, when they face New Zealand at Spark Arena in Auckland. The upcoming game is seen as an opportunity for the team to regroup and build on the lessons learned from this intense qualifier.