Jeddah: Justin Brownlee once again proved to be the hero for Gilas Pilipinas, leading his team to a thrilling 95-88 overtime victory against host nation Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium. This triumph secured the Philippines’ place in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.

According to Philippines News Agency, Brownlee was instrumental in the win, scoring a game-high 29 points. His clutch performance included a critical triple with just 8.4 seconds remaining in regulation, sending the game into overtime. Brownlee’s overall contributions included five assists and four rebounds.

The overtime period saw the Philippines outscore Saudi Arabia 16-9, a run ignited by Kevin Quiambao’s crucial three-pointer. This victory marked Gilas Pilipinas’ second win in four games. The team had initially surged to a strong start, building a 25-15 lead after the first quarter thanks to the efforts of Brownlee, AJ Edu, and Quiambao.

Despite the early lead, Saudi Arabia fought back, erasing the deficit with a 14-1 run led by Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman. Abdur-Rahkman delivered an impressive performance with 33 points, including eight three-pointers.

Edu’s contribution was significant as he recorded 17 points, 11 rebounds, and a block, while Quiambao also added 17 points. Scottie Thompson played a crucial role with four points and 10 rebounds.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone expressed his admiration for Brownlee’s ability to deliver under pressure. “They posed a lot of problems for us, and by all rights, they had the game won except for the guy sitting to my right (Brownlee), he’s the big shot. And if you know his history, that’s not unusual. He’s been hitting big shots,” Cone remarked.

The Filipinos are now set to face the formidable two-time defending champion Australia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.