2026 Asian Games

Willie Marcial urges public to spare Gilas from bashing after Asiad exit

Published

1 week ago

September 15, 2026

Willie Marcial admitted that the pain from Gilas Pilipinas’ crushing loss to China remains fresh, but urged critics to spare the players from further bashing when they return home.

The Philippines was eliminated from contention for a second straight Asian Games gold medal after suffering a 105-61 drubbing at the hands of China on Monday at the Aichi International Arena in Japan.

Gilas could have survived a loss of up to 37 points to advance to the knockout stage through point differentials, but instead absorbed a 44-point beating that ended its title defense and sent the team to a ninth-place finish—the Philippines’ worst showing in Asian Games men’s basketball history.

For Marcial, the defeat was particularly painful to witness, especially after seeing the players deal with the backlash that followed on social media.

“Masakit para sa akin to see that happen. Sobrang sakit at ganun din sa mga players,” said Marcial.

Despite the lopsided result, Marcial defended the players and pointed to China’s size and shooting as major reasons for the one-sided affair.

“Pero ano’ng magagawa ng mga players natin? Ang tatangkad ng mga Chinese players ngayon, mga shooters pa,” he said.

The loss came less than 48 hours after Gilas restored confidence with a 109-78 demolition of Kazakhstan. But against China, the Filipinos quickly found themselves in a massive hole, trailing 36-16 after the opening quarter.

“There was no crying, pero lahat nakatungo. Halos ayaw ko rin silang tignan, masakit eh,” Marcial said.

China was particularly motivated against the Philippines after suffering two painful defeats to Gilas in 2023. The Filipinos beat the Chinese in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila before pulling off another stunning comeback in the Asian Games semifinals in Hangzhou.

This time, however, China got its revenge against an all-local Philippine lineup that did not have naturalized stars Jordan Clarkson or Justin Brownlee.

The Chinese dominated from the opening quarter and never looked back, with seven players finishing in double figures. Wang Junjie led the way with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Liao Sanning added 14 and Hu Mingxuan chipped in 13.

China shot 51 percent from the field and overwhelmed Gilas on the boards, 54-35, while also dishing out 24 assists.

Calvin Oftana was the lone Philippine player to score in double figures with 13 points.

For Marcial, however, the numbers did not diminish his appreciation for the players who committed themselves to the national team.

“Nakakaawa kasi sila and I salute them for the sacrifices they made and their willingness to serve the country. So nagpapasalamat pa rin ako sa kanila nang husto,” he said.

Marcial also credited China for being thoroughly prepared for the matchup.

“Talagang pinaghandaan tayo nang husto ng China,” he said.

With Gilas set to return home on Wednesday, Marcial appealed to critics to temper their reactions and remember that the players have families who will also have to deal with the aftermath of the defeat.

He also questioned the timing of the Asian Games in relation to the FIBA World Cup qualifying window 5, saying the national team could have been in a better position had the competitions been arranged differently.

“Sayang nga, dapat mas nauna yung window ng FIBA World Cup qualifiers kaysa sa Asian Games,” added Marcial.

“Sana hindi ganito. Iba talaga kapag walang naturalized players.”

The post Willie Marcial urges public to spare Gilas from bashing after Asiad exit appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

2026 Asian Games

Gilas Women dump Malaysia, book direct ticket to Asiad 3×3 quarters

Published

14 hours ago

September 24, 2026

Logan Mclaughlin

Kacey Dela Rosa and Victoria Pasilang powered Gilas Pilipinas to a perfect group-stage sweep as the Philippines secured a direct berth in the quarterfinals of the women’s 3×3 basketball competition at the 20th Asian Games on Wednesday.

The Filipinas overcame Malaysia, 17-12, at Kinju Futo Station Square to finish on top of Group C with a 3-0 record, mirroring the feat of their male counterparts earlier in the day.

Dela Rosa led the Philippines with eight points, while Pasilang chipped in six as Gilas recovered from an early deficit and took control in the latter stages of the 10-minute contest.

Malaysia held a slim 6-5 advantage before the Filipinas answered with six consecutive points to seize an 11-6 lead. Dela Rosa accounted for four points during that pivotal run, putting the Philippines in command and allowing the team to maintain its cushion until the final buzzer.

The former UAAP MVP also contributed seven rebounds, matching Pasilang’s seven boards as the Philippines controlled the battle on the glass.

Gilas opened its Asian Games campaign on Tuesday with back-to-back victories, stunning Mongolia, 17-12, before cruising past Macau, 21-4.

With the group-stage sweep, the Philippines advances straight to the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the play-in game between the Group A runner-up and the Group D third-place finisher on Thursday.

The direct quarterfinal berth gives Gilas an opportunity to continue its strong start as it pursues a deep run in the women’s U-23 3×3 competition.

The post Gilas Women dump Malaysia, book direct ticket to Asiad 3×3 quarters appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

2026 Asian Games

SIBOL Naraka finish Asian Games campaign on winning note

Published

14 hours ago

September 24, 2026

Elliot Michael

SIBOL Naraka: Bladepoint closed its 20th Asian Games campaign on a high note, escaping Hong Kong, 2-1, to cap a challenging group-stage run on Wednesday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.

The Philippines finished Pool B with a 1-2 record, placing third in a competitive group that also featured Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong. The result left SIBOL outside the top two spots needed to advance to the semifinals.

Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, SIBOL opened the group stage with losses to Chinese Taipei and Vietnam, ending its hopes of reaching the semifinals.

Still, the Filipinos refused to go quietly, battling Hong Kong down to the wire as they looked to finish their Asian Games campaign on a winning note.

Team captain Joaquin Paclibar set the tone in Game 1 (solo), delivering a commanding performance and taking down Mingjie Wang twice to put SIBOL ahead, 1-0, in the best-of-three series.

The trio of Richard Espejo, Von Teñoso, and Kenneth Perez could not duplicate their skipper’s strong start in Game 2, falling to Fanny Fung Ching Wong, Yu Hin Wong, and Kevin Lam as Hong Kong forced a deciding game.

With support from Smart, Cignal, TV5, and Arena Social, SIBOL regrouped for the decider and held off Hong Kong to close its campaign with a victory.

Although the Filipinos fell short of the semifinals, Paclibar viewed their Asian Games stint as a valuable learning experience, particularly after showing that Filipino players can compete against some of the best in the international scene.

“For this group stage, we’re confident that we executed what we practiced. But the teams at this level are really good, and they adapt very quickly. That’s something we still need to improve on,” Paclibar said.

“Qualifying through Singapore and then making it to Japan gave us proof that there are players from the Philippines who can compete at a high level. The hours we’ve put in throughout our growth have all led to this moment, and we’re very grateful,” he added.

SIBOL will next turn its attention to Karl Gonzalvo’s Puyo Puyo Champions campaign on Thursday. Gonzalvo is set to face Japan at 9:20 a.m., Kazakhstan at 10 a.m., South Korea at 10:40 a.m., and Hong Kong at 11:20 a.m. in Pool A.

The post SIBOL Naraka finish Asian Games campaign on winning note appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

2026 Asian Games

Bambol Tolentino stays firm on 8-gold target despite early Asian Games setbacks

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2026

Bryce Mullins

Despite a few setbacks through the opening days of the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino remains steadfast in his prediction that Team Pilipinas can win at least eight gold medals.

Tolentino refused to lower his expectations after the Philippines saw several medal hopes fall short, including Jean Claude Saclag, who settled for silver after losing in the gold medal match of the men’s traditional mixed martial arts -65kg division.

Aira Villegas also bowed out of the women’s -51kg division, while swimmer Kayla Sanchez still has two individual events remaining in her campaign — the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke — with opportunities to add to the country’s medal haul.

But for Tolentino, there is still plenty of time for the Philippines to make good on his ambitious target.

“Walang atrasan ‘to. Sabi ko nga, hindi naman masama ang mangarap eh. Wala namang bayad ‘yan, libre ‘yun,” Tolentino said, stressing that the Games are still in their early stages.

Asked which athletes and teams he expects to lead the Philippines’ gold-medal campaign, Tolentino quickly named a deep group of contenders led by Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, the national boxing team, Victoria Bosong, the 3×3 basketball squads, Mobile Legends, and jiu-jitsu.

“Lampas sampu pa ‘yun. So hindi pa tayo nawawalan ng pag-asa. Definitely, meron tayong golds,” he said.

Tolentino also pointed to the improved support given to Filipino athletes compared to previous Asian Games cycles.

With increased funding, training allowances, and the hiring of foreign coaches, he believes Team Pilipinas is better equipped to compete against nations that have invested heavily in their sports programs and naturalized athletes.

The POC chief is also aiming for the Philippines to surpass its previous four-gold medal haul, with several medal events still to come in the Games. For Tolentino, the message to the athletes remains straightforward as they enter the crucial stretch of competition.