New Zealand coasted to an 85-54 win over the Philippines to clinch the last outright ticket to the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 Quarter-Finals on Tuesday at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The Junior Tall Blacks seized control early, racing to a 17-5 lead and keeping Gilas Youth to single-digit scoring until midway through the second quarter. From that point on, the Kiwis never looked back, finishing the group stage unbeaten and firmly establishing themselves as one of the teams to beat in the tournament.

Balanced Attack Leads the Way

With the victory, Coach Ben Sheat’s squad completed Group B with a perfect 3-0 record, advancing directly to the quarter-finals alongside Australia, China, and Japan. Their next opponent will be determined from the playoff between Group B’s second-ranked Iran and the winner of the Mongolia–Malaysia clash later in the evening at the MBank Arena.

Liam Keogh top-scored for New Zealand with 17 points and seven assists, while Lawson Pryor added 15 points and six rebounds. Marco Sula contributed 11 points, Lincoln Wilson tallied 10 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double, and Noah Duncan also scored 10 as five Junior Tall Blacks finished in double figures.

For the Philippines, offense proved scarce. Jhustin Hallare led Gilas Youth with 13 points, while Jhello Lumague chipped in 11. The Filipinos ended Group B with a 1-2 slate and will battle Bahrain, the second-best team from Group A, in a qualification duel on September 4 for a chance to reach the last eight.