A corner shot in overtime can change everything. For Gilas Pilipinas Under-21, it changed the ending, the medal count, and the road to the world stage.
Wilhalm Cabonilas buried an ice-cold game winner from the left corner as Gilas edged Japan, 19-18, in overtime to capture the sixth and final stop of the FIBA 3×3 Nations League in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia on Sunday and clinch the lone berth to the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup in Wuhan, China this September.
With Japan leading 18-17 in overtime, the Filipinos survived two missed Japanese attempts that could have ended their campaign. The ball eventually swung to Cabonilas, who calmly launched the winner that sent the Philippine bench into celebration.
Koji Buenaflor from University of Santo Tomas paced Gilas with seven points, while Jhuniel Dela Rama of San Beda University added six. Cabonilas and FEU teammate Jedric Daa finished with three points apiece in a championship duel that once again showcased the growing rivalry between the two Asian squads.
The title was Gilas’ third gold medal in six tournament stops after earlier triumphs in Stops 3 and 5. It also marked the third finals meeting between the Philippines and Japan, with the Filipinos winning two of those encounters.
Consistency proved to be Gilas’ biggest weapon. The squad reached the championship round in five of six stops and amassed 520 points, enough to secure the conference’s lone ticket to the U23 World Cup.
The latest thriller echoed Stop 5, when Earl Medina drilled a booming game-winning deuce to beat New Zealand, 21-19. Medina sat out the final stop, but Cabonilas ensured the script remained the same, another clutch basket, another golden finish.
Now the spotlight shifts from Malaysia to Wuhan, where Cabonilas, Buenaflor, Dela Rama, Medina and Jedric Daa will test their fearless brand of 3×3 basketball against the world’s best, carrying momentum and confidence earned one unforgettable corner shot at a time.
