Gilas Pilipinas Falls to Chinese Taipei in FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Opener

Gilas Pilipinas opened its 2025 FIBA Asia Cup campaign on a sour note after falling to Chinese Taipei, 95–87, in the early hours of Wednesday (PH time) at King Abdullah Sports City.

It was a disappointing start for the Philippines in Group D, as the loss dropped them to a 0–1 record, tied with Iraq. Chinese Taipei and New Zealand now sit atop the group standings after winning their respective opening matches.

Ying-Chun Chen Explodes for 34 in Taiwan’s Statement Win

Chinese Taipei came out aggressive and never looked back, riding the hot hand of veteran guard Ying-Chun Chen, who erupted for 34 points, including six three-pointers, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. His timely buckets repeatedly halted Gilas’ comeback attempts — none more crucial than a dagger triple in the final minutes to keep the Philippines at bay.

His efforts were complemented by naturalized big man Brandon Gilbeck, who imposed his presence in the paint with 16 points, nine rebounds and a block, making life difficult for Gilas bigs June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu. Meanwhile, Robert Tsang Hinton, one of the Hinton brothers recently added to the Taiwanese roster, contributed 14 points, four rebounds, two steals, and one assists.

Gilas’ Late Rally Falls Short

Despite trailing by as much as 17 points, Gilas showed resilience, clawing their way back to within four points (36–32) late in the second quarter. But Chinese Taipei maintained their composure, heading into halftime with a 43–34 lead.

Gilas never regained control after Justin Brownlee’s opening dunk, which was the only time they led in the game. Brownlee ended up leading the Nationals with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, but his early exit due to fouling out with 4:29 left in the fourth severely hampered Gilas’ momentum down the stretch.

Kevin Quiambao stepped up in Brownlee’s absence, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc — the most by any Filipino player in the game. The former La Salle standout also tallied four rebounds and two assists, most of his damage coming in the fourth quarter.

Dwight Ramos and Scottie Thompson added 16 points each, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a slow start and shaky defense.

Turnovers, Fouls, and Defensive Lapses Doom Gilas

Gilas Pilipinas struggled mightily in the opening quarter, allowing 27 points while coughing up several turnovers that let Chinese Taipei build early separation.

The 26 team fouls committed by the Philippines allowed Chinese Taipei to shoot 35 free throws, converting 27 (77.1%). Despite holding a 48–24 rebounding advantage, Gilas failed to convert second-chance opportunities into momentum.

Coach Cone: “They Outcoached Us”

Head coach Tim Cone didn’t shy away from accountability after the loss, calling it a “disappointing performance” and praising Taiwan’s preparation and coaching.

“Obviously, we didn’t play a very good one,” Cone said postgame. “We got behind early in the game and just played on our heels the whole way. It’s like we were in panic mode for 40 minutes.”

“They’re playing high-level basketball, extremely well-coached. Obviously, they outcoached us tonight.”

The defeat echoes Gilas’ previous stumble against the same team, who also upset them 91–84 in the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers last February.

WATCH: Gilas Pilipinas vs. Chinese Taipei (August 6, 2025) Game Highlights

What’s Next: Gilas vs. New Zealand on August 7

Things won’t get any easier for the Philippines.

Gilas Pilipinas will face a well-oiled New Zealand squad next on Thursday, August 7 at 11:00 PM (PH time). The Tall Blacks opened their own campaign with a 100–78 rout of Iraq, pulling away in the fourth quarter behind Taylor Britt’s all-around effort of 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals, and Mojave King’s 18-point performance.

With their backs against the wall early in the tournament, Gilas will need a much sharper performance to avoid a potential early exit in Group D.