Gilas Pilipinas saw its hopes of competing in the Paris Games dashed as they fell short against Brazil, 60-71, in a semifinal clash at the Riga Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
The Filipino squad started strong, capitalizing on Brazil’s early struggles to close the first quarter with a promising 22-12 lead. However, Brazil, ranked 12th in the world, quickly regrouped and tightened their defense, holding Gilas to just 11 points while scoring 15 themselves in the second quarter.
Led by coach Aleksandar Petrovic, Brazil’s strategy focused on containing Gilas’ top scorer Justin Brownlee. Defenders like Georginho de Paula and Leo Meindl effectively neutralized Brownlee, limiting him to 15 points—half of his average in earlier games.
Brazil’s halftime adjustments proved pivotal, as they launched a decisive 14-0 run in the third quarter, seizing control of the game and securing their path to keeping their Olympic aspirations alive.
The presence of center Kai Sotto, sidelined with a rib injury sustained in a previous game against Georgia, was sorely missed by Gilas. Sotto, a key contributor, had averaged 11 points and four rebounds in the tournament’s group stages.Reflecting on the defeat, Dwight Ramos acknowledged Brazil’s adeptness in capitalizing on Gilas’ lapses. “It takes one night when you don’t play well and you lose. That’s how good the teams are here,” said Ramos, who score 13 points behind a 3-of-6 shooting at the 3-point territory. He played 38 minutes of the 40-minute game.
Coach Tim Cone expressed deep disappointment over the loss, particularly after a promising start in the first quarter. “The beginning of the third quarter was painful to watch. Losing Kai was a significant blow for us. We need to improve; almost isn’t good enough,” Cone lamented.
He highlighted Brazil’s physicality as a factor that disrupted Gilas’ rhythm, particularly underscoring the challenges faced by center Junmar Fajardo against Brazil’s aggressive defense.
Despite the setback, Gilas will surely improve from its 37th place in the world rankings after beating Latvia.
