Gilas 3×3 flips the script, outlasts Thailand to return to FIBA Asia Cup main draw

A year after falling short in the qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 made sure this time would end differently.

The Philippines completed a clean sweep of the qualifying round in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup on Thursday night, holding off a late Thailand rally for a tense 17-15 victory at the OCBC Arena in Singapore and securing a return to the tournament’s pool play stage.

For a team still trying to establish itself in the regional 3×3 scene, the win was more than just a place in the next round. It was a response.

It was proof that this version of Gilas can close.

After cruising for much of the contest, the Filipinos suddenly found themselves under pressure in the final minute as Thailand, the reigning Southeast Asian Games 3×3 champion, turned what looked like a comfortable Philippine lead into a frantic finish.

Jerrick Ahanmisi appeared to deliver the dagger when he knocked down an open two-pointer that pushed Gilas ahead, 17-13, with just under a minute remaining.

But Thailand kept coming. A powerful two-handed dunk by Chanatip Jakrawan cut the lead to two, 17-15, with 11 seconds left, putting the Filipinos in danger of seeing their hard work unravel in the closing stretch.

Then came one final scare. After Gilas committed a shot-clock violation, Thailand was handed one last opportunity to force overtime or steal the game outright. But Frederick Lish’s attempt failed to connect, allowing the Philippines to escape and celebrate a hard-earned win.

That final defensive stand sealed a perfect 2-0 run in Group A for Gilas, which earlier opened its campaign with a 21-16 victory over Maldives.

And if there was one player who helped create the cushion the Filipinos desperately needed, it was Ralph Cu.

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Gilas Pilipinas secured a spot in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup men’s tournament main draw after sweeping Qualifying Draw A on Friday in Singapore.

The Philippines opened its campaign with a 21-16 victory over Maldives, powered by Sean Alter’s 11-point performance.

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Cu finished with six points, highlighted by a booming corner two-pointer that beat the shot clock and stretched the Philippines’ lead to 14-5 at the midway mark — a momentum-swinging shot that briefly looked like it would put the game out of reach.

Instead, Thailand slowly chipped away.

The Thais entered the matchup with momentum of their own, fresh off a 21-11 win over Maldives and carrying added credibility after stunning Lithuania, 21-15, two weeks ago in the FIBA Red Bull Champions Cup.

So even with Gilas in control for long stretches, the comeback threat always lingered.

Jakrawan led Thailand with a game-high seven points and nearly sparked a dramatic turnaround, but the Filipinos had just enough left to finish the job.

More importantly, they did what last year’s team could not.In the previous edition of the tournament, Gilas Men bowed out in the qualifying phase and failed to reach the main draw. This time, they punched through.

That breakthrough gives the Philippines a much-needed boost as it heads into pool play, where the level of competition only gets tougher.

Meanwhile, the focus now also shifts to the women’s side, with Gilas Women set to open their campaign on Saturday against Tonga at 5:15 p.m. before facing defending champion Australia at 8:05 p.m.

For now, though, the spotlight belongs to the men’s squad — a group that survived pressure, handled the moment, and finally pushed Gilas back where it wanted to be.

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