MANILA – After over six decades, the Philippines men’s basketball team are back as kings of Asian basketball.
Gilas Pilipinas completed its conquest of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball after a 70-60 victory over Jordan in the gold medal game last night at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
Justin Brownlee spearheaded the offense with double-double 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists, two steals and a block.
Gilas Pilipina reclaimed the Asiad men’s basketball gold for the first time since 1962.
Angelo Kouame chipped in double-double 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Chris Newsome and Earl Scottie Thompson contributed 13 and 11 markers, respectively.
With this win, the Philippines recorded its fourth gold medal overall in 2023 Asiad.
Gilas Pilipinas had a strong start behind the trio of Newsome, Thompson and Brownlee for a 28-15 lead but Jordan rode on the exploits of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to force a 31-all deadlock at the half.
Gilas Pilipinas regained its form in the third quarter courtesy of Brownlee and Newsome for a 51-41 lead.
Jordan attempted to make its last push in the fourth period but timely baskets from Kouame in the endgame sealed the win for the Philippines.
Hollis-Jefferson tallied double-double 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead Jordan. Fadi Mustafa chipped in 13 markers, while Ahmad Al Dwairi hauled 15 rebounds to go with eight points.
Earlier in the day, Annie Ramirez delivered the country’s third gold medal after defeating Galina Duvanova of Kazakhstan, 2-0, in the gold medal match of women’s jiu-jitsu 57-kilogram category event.
Ramirez reached the finals round after defeating Singapore’s Fiona Toh in the quarterfinals round, 7-0, before she scored a 50-0 domination over Shamsa Alamedi of the United Arab Emirates in the semifinals.
Jenna Kaila Napolis, on the other hand, salvaged a bronze medal finish in the women’s jiu-jitsu 52-kilogram category after defeating Hesha Alshamsi of the United Arab Emirates in the battle-for-third place game.
Napolis fell short of reaching the gold medal round after tasting a 2-0 defeat to Asma Alhosani in the semifinals. The Filipina earlier won over South Korea’s Jeonghye Park in the quarterfinals, 2-0.
Overall, the Philippine jiu-jitsu team has won two golds and a bronze medal, including the gold medal finish of Margarita “Meggie” Ochoa in the women’s -48-kilogram category of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Meanwhile, the group of Jason Huerte, Mark Joseph Gonzales, Rheyjey Ortouste, Ronsited Gabayeron, and Jom Rafael delivered a bronze medal in men’s sepak takraw regu event after losing to Malaysia in the semifinals./PN
BOX SCORE:
PHILIPPINES 70 – Brownlee 20, Kouame 14, Newsome 13, Thompson 11, Oftana 5, Aguilar 3, Perez 2, Alas 2, Fajardo 0.
JORDAN 60 – Hollis-Jefferson 24, Mustafa 13, Al Dwairi 8, Alhamarsheh 6, Bohannon 4, Bzai 3, Hussein 2, Alhendi 0, Kanaan 0.
Quarterscores: 17-12, 31-31, 51-41, 70-60.
