Gilas Pilipinas moved one step closer to retaining its crown on Thursday, Dec. 18, escaping Indonesia with a tense 71-68 victory in the men’s basketball semifinals at Nimibutr Stadium. The Filipinos survived a frantic finish after nearly seeing a comfortable lead slip away.

Gilas appeared in control late, stretching the margin to 16 points with under four minutes remaining. Indonesia, however, mounted a furious comeback that cut the lead to two before the nationals forced a missed three-pointer at the buzzer.

Thirdy Ravena led the Philippines with 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists, providing stability during crucial stretches. Jamie Malonzo added 13 points and three rebounds as Gilas leaned on balanced scoring.

Ray Parks chipped in 12 points before being ejected on a flagrant foul late in the game, while team captain Robert Bolick contributed 10. Despite late miscues, the Filipinos did just enough to advance.

Late drama after dominant stretch

Indonesia closed within 70-68 on free throws with 22.1 seconds remaining, raising the tension inside the arena. Gilas responded by forcing a shot-clock violation, giving the Filipinos a chance to seal the game.

Bolick split his free throws to push the lead to three with 7.3 seconds left. Indonesia’s final possession ended with a contested three that failed to connect, preserving Gilas’ semifinal escape.

Head coach Norman Black acknowledged both the relief and the lapses down the stretch. He credited Indonesia’s persistence while stressing the need for sharper decision-making moving forward.

Road to the gold-medal match

The semifinal was a tale of two halves, with Gilas falling behind 27-15 in the opening quarter. The nationals regrouped defensively and clawed back to trail by just one, 34-33, at halftime.

Indonesia was paced by Derrick Xzavierro, who posted a double-double of 22 points and 15 rebounds. Dame Diagne and Abraham Damar Grahita added 13 points each in the losing effort.

Gilas will face either host Thailand or Malaysia in the one-game final on Friday at the same venue. The Filipinos are seeking to defend their SEA Games title and add another gold to their regional résumé.