Manila: CJ Perez came through in the clutch while Kai Sotto delivered the decisive defensive play as Gilas Pilipinas escaped Jordan, 82-81, in overtime in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena on Friday night.
According to Philippines News Agency, Perez repeatedly answered Jordan's big shots down the stretch before Sotto swatted away the potential game-winning attempt of Abdullah Olajuwon in the final seconds. This allowed the Philippines to snap a four-game losing streak and start Window 4 of the qualifiers in dramatic fashion. Sotto finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Perez added 16. Dwight Ramos and Kevin Quiambao chipped in 14 points each. The victory elevated the Philippines to a 3-4 record, although they remain outside the top three. Jordan is tied with Iran and New Zealand at 5-2. New Zealand nipped Iran, 93-91, in an earlier game.
Gilas endured a challenging start, falling behind by as many as 18 points before gradually clawing its way back with the help of Sotto, AJ Edu, and Carl Tamayo, whose three-pointer just before halftime cut Jordan's lead to five, 44-39. The nationals came out firing in the third quarter, executing a 12-2 run to take a 51-46 lead as their defense began forcing turnovers and disrupting Jordan's rhythm. The Falcons responded with a 10-0 spurt, maintaining a 58-54 advantage going into the fourth.
The final period turned into a seesaw battle, with Perez repeatedly keeping Gilas within striking distance. After Jordan regained the lead, Perez tied the game at 66 before Sotto's putback gave the Philippines a 68-66 edge with 3:03 left. Freddy Ibrahim buried a three-pointer to put Jordan back ahead, 69-68, but Perez answered with a floater with 1:19 remaining to give Gilas a 70-69 lead. Jordan's response came via another three, making it 72-70, but Perez drove for the tying basket with 43 seconds left to force overtime.
Sotto again delivered in the extra period, putting back a miss with 41.5 seconds remaining to give Gilas a 79-78 lead. Omar Salman split his two free throws with 30.6 seconds left, tying the game at 79, setting the stage for Quiambao. The former UAAP Most Valuable Player with De La Salle buried a booming three-pointer with 11.7 seconds remaining to put Gilas ahead, 82-79, sending the Mall of Asia Arena crowd into a frenzy. Ibrahim made two free throws with 9.7 seconds left after Perez was called for a foul, reducing the lead to 82-81 and sending Perez out of the game with his fifth foul. Jordan regained possession after Gilas was called for a five-second violation, but Sotto stood tall at the rim and blocked the final attempt as time expired.
Quiambao, who dedicated his game-winning shot to Tamayo, expressed his emotions after the game. With Tamayo out for the rest of the game, Quiambao delivered when he hit the eventual game-winning three. "Para kay Carl 'yon. Pagaling ka, Carl, and hopefully, makalaro ka sa Sunday (That was for Carl. Get well soon, Carl, and hopefully, you can play on Sunday)," he said. Quiambao and Tamayo were teammates at NU-Nazareth School during their high school days. "Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam noong shumoot yung tira. Malaking confidence para sa akin (It was a great feeling when I made the shot. It boosted my confidence)," he added.
The question in everyone's mind now is whether Tamayo will be available when Gilas battles Iran on Sunday night. Coach Tim Cone mentioned that the physical therapists will try to manage the pain in Tamayo's ankle before making a decision. "He can walk, but beyond walking, the ankle is swollen. It's a sprained ankle, and we'll give him the treatment tonight, and we'll give him the treatment tomorrow. And we'll see how he is at that point," Cone said. Justin Arana and RJ Abarrientos are on standby if Tamayo is ruled out. "In the meantime, you know, we still got Justin Arana and RJ Abarrientos on the list, so one of those two guys could fill in for Carl, if necessary. Hopefully, it won't be necessary," Cone added.
The Gilas Pilipinas team will aim to build on this victory when they face Iran at 8 p.m. on Sunday. From 16 teams, the Asia and Oceania group is down to 12 teams in two groups of six teams each. Window 5 will be from Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, and Window 6 (finals) from Feb. 2 to March 2, 2027. Seven teams will qualify for the 2027 World Cup -- the top three per group plus the best 4th-place team, with Qatar automatically qualifying as the host.
