Gilas erases 21-point deficit to stun Macau in send-off friendly

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Gilas Pilipinas men’s national basketball team gained a much-needed momentum before flying to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the FIBA Asia Cup.

In front of the hopeful Filipino basketball fans, Gilas pulled off a massive 21-point comeback to frustrate the visiting Macau Black Bears, 103-98, during a send-off friendly game on July 28, 2025, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

After a sluggish performance in the first half, Gilas woke up in the final two quarters and almost played perfect basketball courtesy of much-improved defensive reads that were crucial in narrowing the gap in the third quarter.

The Black Bears almost executed what they wanted in the first half, highlighted by a barrage of three-pointers from the corners and an unstoppable intent to punish Gilas’ thin frontcourt.

Without the presence of June Mar Fajardo who is still taking a rest after winning the PBA Philippine Cup a week ago, the banged-up Gilas squad had little resistance in the shaded lane.

Macau took advantage whenever AJ Edu was sent to the bench as they countered with a huge five inside the court that pummeled their way inside at will. The adjustment was simple, after the athletic stopper undergoes a breather, pitch the ball in the block and capitalize on your strengths.

That sequence helped Macau stretch their largest lead of the ball game to 21 points midway through the second, leaving the thousands of Filipinos who flocked to Araneta in shock and in disbelief.

Just when Macau thought they could score an upset away from home, head coach Tim Cone and the more experienced Gilas squad showed their true identity in the second half.

The ball moved better, the off-ball movement was more fluid, and the defense doubled in the paint. Those were the keys to Gilas’ come-from-behind effort.

CJ Perez and Dwight Ramos joined hands to supply the much-needed offensive spark in the third that officially put Gilas back in the game.

However, it was Justin Brownlee who stole the show in the final 10 minutes of the ball game as the naturalized scoring machine went unconscious and proved why he deserved another call-up for the national team.

Brownlee went berserk and torched Macau with his efficient three-point shooting, knocking down four out of his five treys in the fourth and final frame that put Gilas back in the driver’s seat.

It was almost a review tape of Brownlee’s heroic performance against China during the 2023 Asian Games where almost all of his shots kissed the net and ended with a swish.

When Macau threatened to spoil Gilas’ comeback after trimming their deficit to just a point, 93-92, Brownlee answered the call and drained a clutch fadeaway jumper to increase their cushion.

Brownlee then put the nail in the coffin in the 1:44 mark of the fourth when he buried a huge three-pointer that pushed Gilas’ advantage to seven points, 101-94.

From that moment, Macau’s chances of a counter run vanished, as they ran out of gas and received last-minute haymakers from Edu and Chris Newsome.

Kevin Quiambao also flaunted his newly developed skill set fresh from Sacramento, USA, after keeping Gilas afloat in the first half.

Brownlee spearheaded Gilas’ come-from-behind effort with a game-high 32-point outing alongside 15 rebounds and five assists.

Ramos, who went on a little bit of a personal run in the third, ended up with 19 markers, six dimes, four boards, and two steals.

Quiambao wrapped up his Gilas return with 15 points, while Edu, who filled the role of Fajardo underneath, produced the same amount of offensive production.

Gilas will only have less than a week to prepare before the FIBA Asia Cup kicks off in Jeddah on August 5, 2025.