Basketball
Gilas comes up short in double-overtime battle against New Zealand in World Cup qualis
Gilas Pilipinas suffered a heartbreaking 106-102 double-overtime loss to New Zealand in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers on Friday afternoon (Manila time) at Spark Arena in Auckland.
In the second overtime, the Philippines seized a 100-96 lead behind an AJ Edu dunk and a Justin Brownlee three-pointer.
However, foul trouble allowed the Tall Blacks to claw their way back.
Reuben Te Rangi and Carlin Davison kept their composure despite the loud Filipino crowd inside the packed venue, sinking four straight free throws to tie the game at 100-all with 1:19 remaining.
Brownlee was then called for an offensive foul, leading to a Sam Mennenga basket on the ensuing possession that put New Zealand back in front.
Kevin Quiambao answered with a layup to knot the score once more, but Mennenga was in perfect position to clean up a Davison miss and restore the Tall Blacks’ lead.
Coming out of a timeout, Davison intercepted Juan Gomez de Liaño’s inbound pass, while Brownlee committed a breakaway foul. Jordan Ngatai and Shea Ili calmly converted their free throws to seal the victory and secure New Zealand’s place in the second round.
“It would have been nice to come down here and steal a game; that would have been special,” said Gilas head coach Tim Cone. “The fact that we got as close as we did, obviously, is a huge disappointment once you feel like it’s in your grasp and you let it slip away; that makes it tough.
“We had chances in regulation and in both overtimes to win that basketball game, and we just came up short. The bottom line was our guys came to play. They expended a lot of energy just staying in the game. Went down by twelve early in the game, battled back, and came ahead by seven, but again we couldn’t just hold it. We missed some free throws, fouled a few times more than we should have, and that’s probably the story of the game,” the most decorated PBA head coach continued.
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Brownlee struggled throughout the contest.
After averaging 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists through the first four games of the qualifiers, the 38-year-old forward from Tifton, Georgia, was held to just five points on 2-of-3 shooting, while adding eight rebounds and four assists against three turnovers before fouling out late in the second overtime.
“A lot of thoughts. A game like that, there’s a lot going on and it could have gone either way. I think that’s a true game of international basketball,” said Tall Blacks head coach Judd Flavell, who will take over B.League club Shinshu next season.
“We had objectives that we had to do. Obviously, Justin Brownlee is their focal point offensively. We did a good job on him but it opened up a lot of things for the others. They capitalized on it,” Flavell added.
With Brownlee limited offensively, Gilas fell behind by as many as 12 points, 55-43, early in the third quarter.
The game’s momentum shifted with the entry of FIBA debutant Mike Phillips.
The 6-foot-8 bruiser, who plays for the San Juan Knights, finished with just two points and three rebounds in 10 minutes, but his hustle and energy sparked the Philippines’ comeback as Gilas grabbed a 64-63 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Tied at 68-all with 7:18 remaining, RJ Abarrientos ignited a 9-2 run that also featured baskets from Edu, Quiambao, and Dwight Ramos to give the Philippines a seven-point cushion.
New Zealand, however, answered with a furious rally and eventually grabbed an 83-80 advantage with 21.2 seconds left in regulation.
Juan Gomez de Liaño drilled a clutch three-pointer with 11.9 seconds remaining to force overtime.
In the first extra period, Gilas trailed 91-90 before Gomez de Liaño buried another booming triple with 8.3 seconds left to put the Philippines ahead.
However, Ramos fouled Ili on the ensuing possession, allowing the New Zealand guard to sink two free throws and force a second overtime.
“We got an experienced group and it’s the experience that got the job done down the stretch,” said Flavell.
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With the win New Zealand joined Australia and the Philippines in the second round, eliminating Guam from contention in Pool A.
The loss also marked Gilas’ fourth straight defeat to the Tall Blacks since its historic 93-89 victory at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on November 21, 2024—the Philippines’ lone win over New Zealand in FIBA competition.
It was the younger core that carried Gilas offensively, with Gomez de Liaño and Quiambao scoring 23 points apiece. Gomez de Liaño also contributed six rebounds, four assists, and a steal, while Quiambao logged 37 minutes.
Ramos bounced back from a slow start to finish with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal, while Carl Tamayo added 17 points, highlighted by three three-pointers.
“That’s how you evolve the team. You try to win with your veterans and you try to develop your young guys,” Cone said of his emerging core. “Our young guys have been developing over the last two years and a half and every time they come in a window, they’ve gotten better. When we first got them in the team, they were 21 years old and now they’re 24-25, so they have evolved along with the team.”
Te Rangi paced New Zealand with 22 points in 35 minutes, while Ili added 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the free-throw line along with six assists.
Sam Waardenburg recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Mennenga stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
Gilas now turns its attention to a showdown against Australia at RAC Arena in Perth, while New Zealand remains at Spark Arena to host Guam in the final game of the first round of the qualifiers.
The Scores:
New Zealand 106 – Te Rangi 22, Ili 21, Waardenburg 16, Mennenga 13, Webster 12, Davison 7, Smith-Milner 6, Britt 4, Ngatai 3, Murray 2, Timmins 0.
Philippines 102 – Quiambao 23, Gomez de Liano 23, Ramos 18, Tamayo 17, Abarrientos 6, Edu 6, Brownlee 5, Phillips 2, Rosario 2, Fajardo 0, Newsome 0.
Quarterscores: 23-17, 44-39, 63-64, 83-83, 93-93, 106-102.
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Joaquin Tovera has found his new collegiate home.
Days after announcing his decommitment from the University of the Philippines, the reigning FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Most Valuable Player has committed to De La Salle University, being eligible starting UAAP Season 89.
For the 18-year-old guard, the decision went beyond basketball.
“At the end of the day, family was the biggest reason behind my decision,” Tovera said.
“I’ve always been closest to the people who have supported me since day one, and knowing I’ll be in an environment where I can be near them gives me a lot of peace and confidence. That support system means everything to me, and I believe it will help me become a better player and an even better person.”
Tovera has deep connections with the Cortez family, having previously played alongside Mikey Cortez during their time with Tumakbo Basketball.
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The relationship extends beyond the court, with La Salle legend Mike Cortez being the cousin of Gregg Rivera, Tovera’s uncle, making the Green Archers a familiar environment for the young playmaker.
His commitment comes just days after he revealed that he was reopening his recruitment despite seeing action for the Fighting Maroons during the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
During his brief stint with UP, Tovera contributed across three games, tallying six points, five assists, and two steals against De La Salle. He followed with seven points and three assists versus Far Eastern University, before making his first start against Mapua in the quarterfinals.
He also suited up for Gilas Pilipinas Boys in the same tournament, averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 assists per contest.
Now set to wear the green and white, Tovera is eager to begin the next chapter of his basketball journey.
“I’m really excited to join De La Salle University and become part of such a proud basketball program,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to learning from the coaches, competing with my new teammates, and doing everything I can to help us succeed. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Despite his move, Tovera stressed that he leaves UP with nothing but appreciation for the Fighting Maroons.
“I’ll always be grateful to UP for welcoming me into the program and believing in me,” he said.
“The coaches, my teammates, and everyone behind the team treated me with so much respect, and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I have nothing but gratitude for my time there and wish UP nothing but success moving forward.”
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- JKL Lady Dolphins 44-68 JT Lady Jaguars (0-2)
JT Lady Jaguars swept the defending champions, JKL Lady Dolphins, to secure a semifinal slot.
JT Lady Jaguars secured a well-deserved 68-44 victory over JKL Lady Dolphins in game two of the best-of-three National Basketball League quarterfinals at YMCA Court, Wandegeya, on Sunday.
The Lady Jaguars came out of the blocks early as they limited the Lady Dolphins to only six points before opening up a 15-point (21-6) lead at the end of the opening period.
The Lady Jaguars kept the foot on the gas pedal thus extending the lead to 21 points by halftime before eventually securing a 24-point victory.
This brings an end to the Lady Dolphins’ struggling campaign, where they lost most of their stars, thus resorting to upcoming talents.
However, they endured a tough spell and made it to the playoffs after finishing eighth. The Lady Dolphins’ dominance comes to an end after three-year run of collecting trophies comes to an end.
Sarah Ageno recorded a double-double, dropping 13 points and collecting 12 rebounds. Priscillar Nambogo (23 points) and Maimuna Nabbosa (12 points) joined with double digits.
On the other hand, only Tamasha Nsubuga (13 points), Florence Ogundha (10 rebounds), and Blessing Vandelum (10 rebounds) managed to reach double digits for the Lady Dolphins.
The post NBL Playoffs: JT Lady Jaguars sweep defending champions appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
Basketball
Afril Bernardino’s 20-20 masterpiece keeps Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire’s WMPBL title defense alive
With its bid for a second straight championship on the line, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire responded in dominant fashion, routing Akari-Rizal, 83-60, on Sunday night at the Paco Arena to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the 2026 Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Finals.
The Sparks struck first by scoring the game’s opening five points, but the Valkyries quickly seized control with a devastating 26-4 run to close the opening quarter. They took a commanding 26-9 advantage and blew the game wide open before the second period even began.
Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire never looked back, methodically extending its lead throughout the middle quarters. A jumper by Charmine Torres — just five seconds into the fourth quarter — stretched the margin to 30 points, 71-41, effectively putting the game out of Akari-Rizal’s reach.
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“We didn’t give up. Our backs were against the wall, and our character came out. The heart of a champion,” said Valkyries head coach Cholo Villanueva after the Game 2 victory.
“The girls didn’t want to give up. They worked hard and the other guys stepped up like Rizza Lozada, Chris Bariquit, Queenie Aquino. The intangible guys helped us get the win tonight and again, like any other series, we need someone to step up, and they did,” he added.
Fresh off winning her third tournament MVP award presented by Aktive, Afril Bernardino powered Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire with a monster double-double of 24 points and 21 rebounds. She also tallied three assists, three blocks, and two steals to keep the defending champions’ title hopes alive.
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Camille Claro chipped in 14 points off the bench, while Patricia Peñaranda and Khate Castillo contributed 10 and nine points, respectively.
For Akari-Rizal, Allana Lim was the lone bright spot, posting a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Mar Prado, Janine Pontejos, and Jhenn Angeles each scored nine points. Meanwhile, Raiza Palmera-Dy found herself limited to just four points and seven rebounds.
With the series now tied at one game apiece, Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire and Akari-Rizal will battle for the championship in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday at 6:00 PM at the Parañaque Coliseum.
The Scores:
Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire 83 – Bernardino 24, Claro 14, Peñaranda 10, Castillo 9, Lozada 7, Tongco 7, Aquino 4, Bariquit 4, Torres 2, Calang 2, Arciga 0, Manzanares 0, Fabruada 0, Dionisio 0
Akari-Rizal 60 – Lim 15, Prado 9, Pontejos 9, Angeles 9, Candelario 8, Adlawan 4, Palmera-Dy 4, Abatayo 2, Ventura 0, Sambile 0
Quarterscores: 26-9, 51-32, 69-41, 83-60
The post Afril Bernardino’s 20-20 masterpiece keeps Batangas-New Zealand Bluefire’s WMPBL title defense alive appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
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