20241121-fiba-gilas-newzealand-MQD_0851-MD

Gilas Pilipinas battles with New Zealand in the  FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Pasay City on November 21, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173220009830220241121-fiba-gilas-newzealand-MQD_0851-MD.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Gilas Pilipinas center Kai Sotto in action. <em>Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span>MANILA, Philippines – Despite putting up massive numbers, big man Kai Sotto downplayed his stellar performance for Gilas Pilipinas against New Zealand on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.</div><p>The star center stressed that despite his valuable contributions of 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, beating the Tall Blacks in the second window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers was a &quot;great team win.&quot;</p><p>Behind his heroics, especially in the third quarter, finally, the New Zealand curse of the Philippines on the FIBA stage has ended after Gilas outlasted the visiting Tall Blacks, 93-89.</p><p>&quot;Para sa &#x27;kin, really good, really great team win, offensively and defensively,&quot; the 7-foot-3 Sotto said. &quot;May mga lapses kami nung first half, pero nung second half nag-pick up kami. I think everybody did a good job contributing sa panalo ng team.&quot;</p><p>Sotto gave credit to the team&#x27;s preparations with Tim Cone at the helm, asserting that what Gilas enjoys right now are the fruits of their foundation since the February window.</p><p>Sotto has proven that he could contribute to Gilas, dropping an 18-10 output versus Chinese Taipei and had a 13-15 stat line against Hong Kong earlier this year.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/11/21/fiba-sotto-brownlee-power-gilas-to-statement-win-over-new-zealand-2120"><strong>READ: FIBA: Sotto, Brownlee power Gilas to statement win over New Zealand</strong></a></div><p>&quot;Nagsimula siya sa preparation namin simula window no&#x27;ng February, simula nung na-build &#x27;yung team, talagang tuloy-tuloy lang kami,&quot; the former Ateneo Blue Eaglet said.</p><p>The win didn&#x27;t come easy as the Tall Blacks had a three party during the 40-minute game, exploding from beyond the arc with 18 made-triples from 35 attempts.</p><p>&quot;Kaya manalo, matalo, titingnan lang namin &#x27;yung bigger picture and happy kami na nanalo kami ngayon kasi pinaghirapan talaga namin &#x27;tong game na &#x27;to.&quot;</p><p>Gilas Pilipinas goes for a 4-0 win-loss card in Group B against Hong Kong on Sunday at the same Pasay venue. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OCJoSi6gY8M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Despite putting up massive numbers, big man Kai Sotto downplayed his stellar performance for Gilas Pilipinas against New Zealand.</p>

Despite putting up massive numbers, big man Kai Sotto downplayed his stellar performance for Gilas Pilipinas against New Zealand.

'Great team win': Kai Sotto downplays stellar outing for Gilas against New Zealand | ABS-CBN

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'Great team win': Kai Sotto downplays stellar outing for Gilas against New Zealand

'Great team win': Kai Sotto downplays stellar outing for Gilas against New Zealand

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 21, 2024 11:00 PM PHT

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Updated Nov 22, 2024 02:43 PM PHT

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2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

Kai Sotto

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