Manila: A gallant endgame from Gilas Pilipinas fell short as New Zealand escaped with a 69-66 win in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers on Thursday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Dwight Ramos' final efforts were not enough for the team, as the Tall Blacks managed to pull off a narrow victory despite a strong defensive effort against Justin Brownlee.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gilas found themselves in a tough spot, trailing 57-66 before mounting a comeback with a 7-0 run that brought them within two points, 64-66, with just 47 seconds left on the clock. The Filipinos nearly forced a crucial turnover when they pressured New Zealand into a contested three-point attempt by Sam Mennenga, which he missed.

However, the Tall Blacks capitalized on key offensive rebounds, allowing Yanni Wetzell to score a putback with 13.8 seconds remaining, extending their lead to 68-64. Ramos responded with a putback layup following a Calvin Oftana miss, narrowing the gap to two points with 8.1 seconds left. Reuben Te Rangi then left an opening for Gilas by splitting his free throws.

In the game's final moments, Ramos attempted to send the match into overtime with a long three-point shot from beyond the PBA's four-point line, but the ball rimmed out as time expired. Max Darling led New Zealand with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, helping the team secure their first win in the qualifying phase after two previous losses to Australia. Mennenga and Alex McNaught contributed 10 points each, with Mennenga also grabbing 14 rebounds.

Ramos finished the game with 16 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block for Gilas, in a match where Brownlee was limited to just four points on 2-for-10 shooting.