Gilas Pilipinas suffered a crushing 105-61 loss to China in the Asian Games, ending its bid to defend the men’s basketball gold medal and eliminating the team from the quarterfinals.
The Philippines finished third in Group C with a 1-2 record, but its -17 point differential was not enough to secure one of the two best third-place spots.
The defeat also marked the Philippines’ worst-ever finish in Asian Games men’s basketball at ninth place and its heaviest loss in the Asiad since 1990.
Coach Tim Cone said the team initially aimed to win but later tried to keep the losing margin within 37 points, which would have been enough to advance.
Meanwhile, the Filipinas opened their women’s football campaign with a 1-1 draw against Uzbekistan, with 19-year-old Natalie Collins scoring a late equalizer.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 15, 2026
