Manila: Gilas Pilipinas strengthened its bid for a fourth straight World Cup appearance after completing a crucial Window 4 sweep with a 68-56 victory over Iran in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Sunday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
According to Philippines News Agency, Kai Sotto, Juan Gomez de Lia±o, and Dwight Ramos spearheaded a decisive fourth-quarter run as the Philippines pulled away late to improve to 4-4 in Group E of the Asian Qualifiers. Sotto delivered another double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds, while Gomez de Lia±o and Ramos provided the scoring punch with 16 points each.
AJ Edu also made his presence felt on defense, chipping in eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocks to help Gilas control the paint. Like in its thrilling 82-81 overtime win over Jordan on Friday, the Nationals had to overcome a sluggish start again, falling behind 7-18 in the opening quarter before finding their rhythm in the second canto.
Gilas outscored Iran, 29-16, in the second period to seize a 36-34 halftime lead. The game remained tight in the second half, with Iran threatening to regain control after Mohammad Amini's layup tied the game at 54 with 7:20 remaining. Ramos quickly answered with a three-pointer, putting Gilas back in front, 57-54, with over six minutes left. The Philippines then tightened the screws defensively and outscored Iran, 11-2, in the final minutes to seal the win.
Gilas improved its record to 4-4 and remained very much in contention for a slot in the World Cup next year. Australia leads Group E with an 8-0 record, followed by New Zealand (6-2), Iran (5-3), and Jordan (5-3). Syria is at the bottom of the group at 2-6.
The top 12 teams from the Asia-Oceania qualifiers are now divided into two groups of six for the second round. The top three teams from each group and the best fourth-place team will qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, with host Qatar already assured of a spot. Window 5 is scheduled for Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, followed by Window 6 from Feb. 2 to March 2, 2027. Gilas will next face Syria and Iran as it continues its push for another World Cup berth.
