Camille Naredo

Justin Brownlee of the Philippines in action against New Zealand in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, November 21, 2024 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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

Article (news)

FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="line-height:1"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173220193689120241121-fiba-gilas-newzealand-MQD_1191-MD.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Gilas Pilipinas superstar Justin Brownlee against New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo from Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News."/>Gilas Pilipinas superstar Justin Brownlee against New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo from Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News.</div>MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas has beaten New Zealand in a FIBA competition for the first time ever.The Nationals made history after they defeated the Tall Blacks, 93-89, on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, and this is the first time that they moved past the Kiwis after previously going 0-4 since they first met in 2016.&quot;I&#x27;m just happy for the team and happy for the country,” said Gilas star Justin Brownlee, who paced the squad into their third win in as many games in Group B with 26 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and two rejections.&quot;We haven&#x27;t beaten New Zealand, so it feels great. Coach Tim [Cone] came in with a good game plan for us, so I think we prepared very well. We expected that it&#x27;s gonna be a hard game for they are one of the top teams in the world. We knew it wasn&#x27;t gonna be easy.”<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/11/21/fiba-sotto-brownlee-power-gilas-to-statement-win-over-new-zealand-2120">READ: Sotto, Brownlee power Gilas to statement win over New Zealand</a></div>This was a bounceback game for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel superstar.Brownlee entered this qualifier fresh off a PBA Season 49 Governors&#x27; Cup Finals loss against the TNT Tropang GIGA just a few weeks ago, and he admitted that the defeat served as extra fuel for him going up against &quot;For sure,” he said if he had extra motivation coming into this clash against NZ. &quot;Anytime you lose, you always try to bounce back. In the Finals, we lost, and it was a great lesson, so it feels good to play for Gilas and get a win over New Zealand.”However, despite bouncing back by leading all scorers, Brownlee deflected the credit to Kai Sotto and the returning Scottie Thompson. &quot;I&#x27;ve been saying that he&#x27;s good enough to play in the NBA,” Brownlee said of the 7-foot-3 young Gilas star who had 19 markers, 10 boards, seven dimes, and two each of blocks and steals. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173220206758920241121-fiba-gilas-newzealand-MQD_1416-MD.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kai Sotto in Gilas Pilipinas’ victory over New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News."/>Kai Sotto in Gilas Pilipinas’ victory over New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News.</div>&quot;It&#x27;s great playing with him. He does a lot of things very well. He can do everything, and he makes the game a lot easier for everybody.&quot;&quot;He&#x27;s got the height, size, and skills, so it&#x27;s great to see a young player like him fulfill his potential. He&#x27;s got a long way to go, so I&#x27;m happy for him and excited to see what the future holds for him,&quot; furthered Brownlee of Sotto, who was, like him, vital in the third-quarter run that allowed them to move past the Kiwis.Brownlee also hailed Thompson, who previously missed Gilas&#x27; campaign in the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Latvia earlier this year due to injury.<div style="line-height:1"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173220212379120241121-fiba-gilas-newzealand-MQD_1709-MD.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Scottie Thompson in Gilas Pilipinas’ victory over New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News."/>Scottie Thompson in Gilas Pilipinas’ victory over New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News.</div>&quot;Welcome back Scottie, man!&quot; JB said of his Ginebra teammate. &quot;His energy is always unmatched, grabbing rebounds over seven-footers, and he&#x27;s one of a kind, for sure.&quot;Brownlee, Sotto, Thompson, and the rest of Gilas return to action on Sunday at the same Pasay bayside venue when they face Hong Kong. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.<div>RELATED VIDEO:<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4uDcCGuhzXw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></div>

Gilas Pilipinas has beaten New Zealand in FIBA competition for the first time ever.

Gilas Pilipinas has beaten New Zealand in FIBA competition for the first time ever.

FIBA: Fueled by loss in PBA Finals, Brownlee leads Gilas to another historic win

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FIBA: Fueled by loss in PBA Finals, Brownlee leads Gilas to another historic win

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 21, 2024 11:39 PM PHT

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