Gilas Pilipinas shrugged off a lethargic start on Thursday night to finally solve perennial tormentor New Zealand, 93-89, and make a good account of itself in its first real test in the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.

The Nationals put on the heat late in the third with a 16-0 run and held on to the lead the rest of the way for a spectacular show at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City that had the Philippines wresting the Group B lead of the continental showcase with a 3-0 win-loss mark.

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LIVE: Gilas Pilipinas vs New Zealand at Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers

“Offensively, defensively we had lapses in the first half. But we picked things up and I think everybody did a good job contributing to our win,” said Kai Sotto, who put up 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the victory that finally put an end to the long-running drought at the hands of the World No. 22 Tall Blacks.

“I think it all started with our preparations. Starting with our window in February, starting when the team was built, we just kept at it,” he went on.

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Gilas Pilipinas center Kai Sotto against a New Zealand defender in a Fiba Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers game at Mall of Asia Arena. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The young cornerstone Sotto was integral in the third-period fightback which included some key plays from Chris Newsome who had himself a night with 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists including a key stop in the final minute of the game where the Kiwis tried to upend the hosts.

Justin Brownlee had 26 points to lead all of the Filipinos,  while Dwight Ramos chipped in 11 points in the effort that gave Gilas an inside track on a berth to the main tournament that will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in August next year.

 SCHEDULE: Gilas Pilipinas at Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers

The Philippines will try to make it a perfect homestand when it battles this Sunday a Hong Kong side softened by an 85-55 whipping by Chinese Taipei at Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium earlier in the night.

Scottie Thompson, who was playing his first Gilas duty after missing the Olympic Qualifiers due to a bad back, had 12 points and six assists.

“It was a tough one. Man, they are good—they are really good,” national coach Tim Cone said shortly after the triumph. “They are incredibly physical and I think that was the number one thing that we had to battle through.

READ: Beware, Kiwis: You haven’t seen a team like Gilas yet, says Tim Cone

“So to overcome that and find a way to win was really special. I can’t tell you just how many many ‘good lucks’ I had for the game all through out the day. There was a lot of attention on the game. We were, you know, pressured to win—and they found a way. I’m proud of them,” Cone added of his charges.

Corey Webster finished with 25 points, while Sam Waardenburg and former Converge import Tom Vodanovich tossed in 19 points each for the visitors who suffered their first setback after dominating their first two games of the meet.

“Very proud of our team in the battle. We knew it was going to be a tough contest. Philippines is a very polished outfit and they played a very structured offense. And they’re very big, very physical. We knew coming into the game that those were the keys. We were there for the majority of the game but we let it slip,” New Zealand coach Judd Flavel said.

“For the majority of the game, yeah, I mean, we had our chances in there,” he added after letting slip a nine-point cushion early in the game.

The Scores

Philippines 93 – Brownlee 26, Sotto 19, Thompson 12, Newsome 11, Ramos 11, Fajardo 6, Perez 3, Oftana 3, Tamayo 2, Aguilar 0.

New Zealand – Webster 25, Vodanovich 19, Waardenburg 19, Britt 8, Le’afa 6, Brown 5, Harris 3, Cameron 2, Harrison 2.

Quarters: 20-22, 45-45, 72-63, 93-39.