Dwight Ramos Shines but Gilas Pilipinas Edged by New Zealand, 69–66
Gilas Pilipinas absorbed its first loss in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers after a hard-fought 69–66 defeat to New Zealand on Thursday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Coming off a dominant 2–0 sweep of Guam in the opening window, the Nationals entered the second window with momentum and confidence. But against a taller and disciplined Tall Blacks squad, the Philippines saw its late rally fall just short.
The loss dropped Gilas to a 2–1 record in Group A, while New Zealand improved to 1–2.
Fourth-Quarter Comeback Comes Up Short
Gilas struggled to solve New Zealand’s size and defensive pressure for most of the game. The Tall Blacks appeared to seize control when Reuben Te Rangi drilled a three-pointer that gave them a 66–57 lead with 3:33 remaining.
But the Filipinos refused to fold.
From a 53–63 deficit earlier in the final period, Gilas mounted a determined comeback. A 7–0 run capped by Dwight Ramos’ clutch three-pointer with 47 seconds left trimmed the gap to just two points, 66–64.
Yanni Wetzel responded with a tough inside bucket to push New Zealand ahead 68–64. Ramos answered again with a strong finish inside to make it 68–66 with eight seconds remaining, setting up a tense finish.
Forced to foul, Gilas sent Reuben Te Rangi to the line. He split his free throws, extending the lead to 69–66. Ramos then launched a desperate heave from half court, but it bounced off the rim as time expired.
(Video from the YouTube Channel of One Sports)
Dwight Ramos Leads the Charge
Ramos delivered a steady performance in defeat, finishing with:
- 16 points
- 8 rebounds
- 2 steals
He scored key baskets during the fourth-quarter surge and nearly willed Gilas to a dramatic comeback.
CJ Perez provided crucial support with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, highlighted by a strong first-quarter showing before foul trouble limited his minutes.
Juan Gomez de Liaño also impressed, contributing 10 points in a solid outing.
Brownlee Contained by Tall Blacks’ Defense
A major storyline of the game was the limited production of naturalized star Justin Brownlee.
After averaging 21.0 points during the Philippines’ sweep of Guam in the first window, Brownlee was held to just 4 points on 2-of-9 shooting. New Zealand’s suffocating defense and consistent double teams prevented him from finding his usual rhythm.
The absence of his typical scoring punch proved costly in such a tight contest.
Tall Blacks Lean on Balanced Effort
New Zealand relied on a collective performance to secure the win:
- Max Darling: 11 points
- Sam Menengga: 10 points, 14 rebounds (double-double)
- Alex McNaught: 10 points (all but one from three-point range)
- Reuben Te Rangi: Key late three and split free throws
- Yanni Wetzel: Crucial late basket in the paint
The Tall Blacks controlled the interior and executed down the stretch to survive Gilas’ late surge.
Third Straight Loss to New Zealand
The defeat marked the Philippines’ third consecutive loss to New Zealand following Gilas’ historic 93–89 breakthrough win over the Tall Blacks in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Despite hosting this matchup—where they previously scored that landmark victory—a repeat home triumph was not meant to be this time.
What’s Next for Gilas Pilipinas?
Now at 2–1 in Group A, Coach Tim Cone and his squad turn their focus to an even tougher challenge: unbeaten Australia.
Gilas faces the Boomers on Sunday, March 1, at the same Mall of Asia Arena venue, hoping to bounce back quickly and regain momentum in the qualifiers.
The road only gets steeper from here.
The Scores:
New Zealand 69 – Darling 11, Mennenga 10, McNaught 10, Harrison 9, Te Rangi 7, Davison 5, Britt 5, Wetzell 4, Murray 3, Ngatai 3, Smith-Milner 2, Rasmussen 0.
Philippines 66 – Ramos 16, Perez 15, Gómez de Liaño 10, Millora-Brown 7, Edu 5, Brownlee 4, Oftana 3, Tamayo 3, Quiambao 2, Thompson 1, Newsome 0, Fajardo 0.
Quarter Scores: 25-21, 37-37, 57-46, 69-66.
