Gilas Pilipinas fell short in a hard-fought opener against the New Zealand Tall Blacks, 69–66, in Game 1 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Thursday night, February 26, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
New Zealand shook off a sluggish start before seizing a 25–21 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Tall Blacks’ defensive pressure and timely perimeter shooting allowed them to dictate the tempo early in the second window clash.
Gilas, however, refused to fold. After trailing by as many as 10 points in the second period, the Filipinos clawed their way back behind improved ball movement and stronger interior presence. The nationals managed to level the score at 37–37 heading into halftime, igniting the home crowd and setting up a tight second half.
The third quarter proved decisive.
New Zealand regained control with a disciplined offensive stretch and suffocating defense, closing the period with a commanding 57–46 advantage. Gilas struggled to find rhythm, settling for contested attempts as the Tall Blacks tightened their rotations and clogged the paint.
Still, the hosts mounted a spirited fourth-quarter fightback. Gilas trimmed the deficit in the closing minutes and threatened to complete a dramatic comeback. But New Zealand held its composure in crunch time, knocking down key shots and converting crucial possessions to escape with a 69–66 victory.
Head coach Tim Cone did not mince words after the narrow defeat.
“I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like I’m happy about our performance,” Cone said. “We’re not gonna feel good or take pride in the fact that we got close or we almost won. Bottom line is we’re here to win, and we didn’t do that.”
Cone acknowledged positives in their defensive effort and rebounding, particularly from their big men, but stressed that the team failed to generate quality looks on offense.
“I hate saying that we didn’t make shots because there’s more to the game than making shots. But if you’re saying that, it’s because you’re not getting good shots — and we didn’t get the shots that we wanted. We didn’t get the flow we wanted. Credit goes to them because they defended well.”
Despite the narrow margin, the veteran mentor emphasized that moral victories hold no value for the national squad.
“We showed up to win. And we didn’t do that tonight.”
With the loss, Gilas Pilipinas will look to regroup quickly as the second window of the Asian qualifiers continues, aiming to bounce back and strengthen its bid for a spot in the 2027 World Cup.
The Philippines is set to face the Australia men's national basketball team on March 1 to cap off its campaign in the second window of the qualifiers.
