MANILA, Philippines — Gilas Pilipinas fought valiantly in the absence of Justin Brownlee but expectedly fell by a big margin, 92-49 against powerhouse Australia at the end of the Window 3 of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Monday at the RAC Arena in Perth.
The Filipinos kept the game close only in the first four minutes of the match with Kevin Quiambao nailing his second three for an 8-8 count.
But the Boomers retaliated with a murderous 16-0 bomb to pull away for good against the Filipinos, who are coming off a tough 106-102 double overtime loss to New Zealand.
Bryce Cotton and Mitch Creek presided over the Boomers’ offensive in the opening half alone.
Cotton, the three-time Australia NBL champion and six-time league MVP, led the Boomers’ attack with 21 points, spiked by five threes.
Cotton added 13 markers and seven rebounds.
Australia came into the game as the oddsmaker’s favorite after whitewashing Guam by 72 points, 124-52.
The former long-time Oceania powerhouse knocked down a World Cup Qualifiers-record 24 threes in registering the massive victory in window 3.
The 38-year-old Brownlee failed to see action due to multiple injuries sustained in his hamstring, leg and knee, an effect of accumulated games played for several years in the PBA, Gilas and the Indonesia Basketball League.
His absence though saw veteran Gilas big man June Mar Fajardo and Mike Phillips step up at front court.
The two big men battled against Australia’s sturdy front court men. However, the Boomers’ sheer firepower was just too much for Gilas to handle.
If anything, Gilas showed some positive signs, especially in the second period after limiting the world no. 6-ranked squad to just eight points since outscoring the Philippines, 32-14 in the opening period.
No Gilas playet scored in double figures with Dwight Ramos finishing with nine points, but he made just four of 16 from the field.
Fajardo had eight points and eight rebounds.
Quiambao also scored eight, while Phillips, playing as a local for Gilas chipped in six and eight boards.
Australia closed the first round of the Asian Qualifiers with an impeccable 5-0 record top top Group A.
New Zealand is at second with its 4-2 record, recovering strongly after back-to-back narrow defeats to Australia in window 1 last year.
The Philippines dropped its fourth straight game since opening window 1 with consecutive routs of against Guam.
Guam ends the first round winless in six games.
The Philippines’ spot in the second round is secured, and will join Australia and New Zealand at Group E, along with West Asia squads Iran, Jordan and Syria.
The second round begins on August 27, with the SM Mall of Asia as the playing venue.
