By El Amigo
MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas strengthened its bid for a place in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup after completing a vital two-game sweep in the fourth window of the Asian Qualifiers, beating Iran, 68-56, Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The victory lifted the Philippines to a 4-4 record in Group E and fifth place with 12 points, just a game behind Iran and Jordan, both at 5-3.
Australia remains unbeaten at 8-0, while New Zealand is second at 6-2.
The latest win came two days after Gilas edged Jordan, 82-81, in overtime. The back-to-back victories have dramatically improved the Philippines’ chances of advancing to the World Cup.
Strong finish
Gilas once again had to overcome a sluggish start, falling behind Iran early before gradually finding its rhythm.
The Filipinos then took control in the closing stretch, finishing the game with a decisive 14-2 run to pull away from the Iranians.
The victory also snapped Iran’s two-game winning streak over the Philippines in FIBA competition. Iran’s previous victory over Gilas came at the same venue in November 2018, when it prevailed, 78-70, in the second round of the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers.
Gilas coach Tim Cone was thrilled with how his team responded.
“I’m lost for words. That’s really unusual for me. I’m not usually at a loss for words, but I’m extremely happy,” Cone said.
Dwight Ramos and Juan Gomez de Liano paced the Philippines with 16 points apiece, while Kai Sotto continued his strong campaign with 13 points and 16 rebounds.
AJ Edu also delivered a solid all-around performance, contributing eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks as he and Sotto formed a formidable frontline.
The victory was particularly impressive because Gilas played the entire window without naturalized player Justin Brownlee.
“These are two really, really high-level international teams, Iran especially,” Cone said. “And we were able to do it all-Filipino.”
Fajardo gets emotional farewell
The victory also served as a fitting farewell to June Mar Fajardo, who concluded his 13-year international career with the national team.
The nine-time PBA MVP saw limited action, playing seven minutes and finishing with six points and two rebounds.
But his impact went beyond the numbers. Fajardo helped spark Gilas’ recovery after Iran opened an 18-7 lead, giving the home crowd and his teammates an added lift.
“That was huge,” Cone said of Fajardo’s contribution.
Four games left
Despite the two straight victories, Gilas still has work to do before securing a place in the World Cup.
The Philippines has four games remaining in the second round, starting with back-to-back road assignments in November.
Gilas will visit Syria on Nov. 27 before facing Iran again on Nov. 30. The Filipinos will then return home in February to play Jordan on Feb. 25 and Syria on Feb. 28.
The qualification race remains tightly contested.
Under FIBA’s format, the top three teams in each six-team group advance to the World Cup, while the best fourth-place team from Groups E and F also earns a ticket.
With Gilas only one victory behind the teams currently in the upper half of Group E, the door remains open.
The challenge is now to sustain the momentum generated by the perfect fourth window.
With Sotto providing a strong presence inside, Edu emerging as another reliable frontline option, and Ramos and Gomez de Liano supplying offense from the perimeter, Gilas has positioned itself for a strong finish in its quest for a fourth consecutive FIBA World Cup appearance.
